School district’s chief financial officer had DUI, felony firearm charges in 2010
Cedric Lewis's mugshot, courtesy of www.mugshotsonline.com
By Brandon Reid
Assistant Editor
Cedric Lewis, chief financial officer for Rockford Public School District 205, faced charges of driving under the influence (DUI) and felony possession of a firearm in a Will County Court in November 2010.
The charges stemmed from a Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010, incident in which Lewis was also charged with improper traffic lane usage, driving the wrong way on a divided highway and parking on the median.
Lewis, 39, was employed by the district at the time of the offenses. With a salary of $152,000, Lewis is among the highest paid individuals in the superintendent’s cabinet.
According to court records on the Will County Circuit Clerk’s website, Lewis paid a $300 fine and was sentenced to 12 months supervision for the DUI charge and also paid a $1,500 fine for the felony possession of a firearm charge. The Circuit Clerk’s website lists the “case type” for the possession of a firearm as being a “criminal felony.”
Lewis was represented by attorney Paul R. Vella of Vella & Lund P.C. in Rockford, according to court documents.
A message left for Lewis at 12:45 p.m., Feb. 1, has not been returned.
District 205 issued the following press release at 1:34 p.m., Feb. 1:
RPS 205 CFO Explains Misdemeanor Charge
(February 1, 2012)…A disgruntled former RPS 205 employee contacted school administration today to release a 2010 record from the Will County Circuit Clerk’s office involving RPS 205 CFO Cedric Lewis.
In September, 2010, Lewis was stopped by Illinois State Police in Will County for speeding.
“When the officer asked me if I had any drugs or weapons in my car, I truthfully answered that there was a gun in the car. I have owned a gun since I was 21 and lived in Mississippi where it was legal to own and transport weapons,” Lewis stated. “I wasn’t aware I needed a FOID card in Illinois as I’d only lived in the state for a short time. It was my mistake. I’m now in compliance with state law.”
Lewis pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge and paid a fine of $1,500.
“We know all of the details and there are no job performance issues involved,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Robert Willis stated. “This is a personnel matter so we cannot discuss it further. The administration is fully supportive of Mr. Lewis and his role with the district. ”
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15 Comments
Why didn’t he turn his firearm in at a school? He could have avoided the law????Hahhaahha!!!!
I wonder if Mr. Lewis was returning from an Ed. summit ( paid for by taxpayers) with Lavonne? Birds of a feather…
Wonder if the “disgruntled employee” is Queenie?
Any responsible gun owner knows to look into State laws for gun control. This is a lame excuse. Wonder if he will try it when it comes to Illinois accounting/tax laws?
Yeah!! way to go Cedric!!! Lets keep on rockin!!
Something does not add up. A misdemeanor speeding ticket is different than a DUI, going the wrong way down a highway and a felony gun conviction. Which is it? Did he deliberately give wrong information to his employer?
On the side. Did he ever get his Illinois certification?
“We know all of the details and there are no job performance issues involved,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Robert Willis stated. Really?
I wonder if Dr. Willis and the board would have felt there were no “performance related issues” if one of their teachers got caught drunk, driving the wrong way down a one way street with an illegal gun in the car and pleaded guilty to a felony?
If this had happened to our school superintendent or a board member I’d have expected them to resign.
Hell of an example for our kids isn’t he?
Bad reporting. Lawyer Hoadley is paid more than Lewis. Why does district say a disgruntled employee reported it. Who cares who reported it? Only the facts matter. He did it. We’re done. District employee who included the “disgruntled employee” comment is an idiot. As for Lewis, lovely high level official we have. We can be proud of him and the rest of the administration who support their gun toting drunk CFO.
1) Exactly who gets off on a DUI charge these days with 12 months supervision and a $300 fine?
2) Maybe they drive on the left hand side of the road in Mississippi. After all, Mr. Lewis had only lived in the state for a short time.
3) Why would the Interim Superintendent ever expect RPS205 administrators to be role models for our children!
I find this just deplorable. Obviously the “disgruntled 205 employer” has known this for some time, which leads me to believe he/she was in the inner circle of the Sheffield team! There have been holes in this man’s resume since he came on board, and yet, he is still employed at a big fat salary…while teachers are still waiting for a fair and equitable contract settlement. Do you think for one minute a “lowly teacher” with these same circumstances would still be working in our district? The unfairness of it all is devastating.
http://66.158.72.242/pa/cms/SelectParty.php
out of curiosity, how does someone convicted of a criminal felony become ‘bonded’ as I am sure all CFO’s in major organizations are? wouldn’t a background check prohibit that….
Of course current board and administrators will back up their own. Turn the other way and ignore that a guy making $152,000 a year in taxpayer money is a drunk, drives the wrong way on the interstate and carries a gun. This is the example they set forth for your kids?. This guy needs to be fired immediately.
Your friends at the Red Star are last with the story once again. However, they do raise an interesting question. WHY DID THE WILLIS TEAM THINK LEWIS WAS ARRESTED FOR SPEEDING? DID LEWIS LIE TO HIS COLLEAGUES? OR ARE THEY SO INCOMPETENT THEY CANNOT PREPARE AN ACCURATE NEWS RELEASE? The following is from the Red Star: A Rockford School District news release issued this week gave Lewis a chance to explain the charges after a “disgruntled” former employee demanded the district release the 2010 arrest record. “Lewis was stopped by the Illinois State Police in Will County for speeding,” according to the release. However, speeding was not among the charges Lewis received that day. He was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a blood-alcohol content over .08, improper lane use and illegal parking on the median. The release did not mention the DUI charges.
Ms. Shimmons, from what I hear, the disgrunted employee is Mark Bonney.