EAST ST. LOUIS – A former Wayne City police chief appeared in federal court Monday and admitted to selling forfeited items confiscated by the department for his personal benefit.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, 46-year-old Anson Fenton of Belle Rive, pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication of property from federally funded programs and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

Asset forfeiture is a legal process to confiscate the means or proceeds of a crime and can apply to money, vehicles, real estate and more. Wayne City stores forfeited items at the Wayne City Police Department until city officials pass an ordinance to authorize the sale of the property.

As police chief, Fenton was responsible for safeguarding, documenting and preserving property within the care, custody and control of the Wayne City Police Department.

According to court documents, Fenton sold two motorcycles, a 2017 Harley-Davidson and a 2000 Harley-Davidson, valued at more than $5,000 and kept the proceeds without authorization from the Wayne City Board of Trustees.

He also traded one 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle for a 1991 Ford Mustang for his personal benefit. He admitted to driving the Suzuki over state lines to complete the sale from Wayne City to Alexandria, Virginia.

For the charges, Fenton could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on July 30 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.

The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation.