Kim Zinke Update

Kim Zinke intake photo.

Kim Zinke intake photo.

The Daily Herald finally got around to writing a story about the arrest of Kane County Deputy Sheriff Kim Zinke for unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

New information included

  • her hiring of Crystal Lake attorney Henry Sugden
  • she “had prescriptions for the generic form of Ambien and other ‘mild pain pills.'”
  • the case took so long the Lake County State’s Attorney “wanted to make sure we had all the lab results back and everything in order before we indicted the case.”
  • she was placed on paid administrative leave in April 2015 but that leave became unpaid on Jan. 21, 2016, due to a matter unrelated to the investigation
  • Zinke, although a McHenry County resident, backed the losing candidate for Kane County Sheriff

Defense attorney Sugden told the Daily Herald, “If we can prove she had authorization (to possess the pills), the case goes away.”

Zinke’s first court appearance is Friday at 9 AM before McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Sharon Prather.

She is the wife of former McHenry County Undersheriff Andy Zinke, who retired as the man who beat him in the Republican Primary Election was about to take office.


Comments

Kim Zinke Update — 37 Comments

  1. Hank Sugden is s good lawyer.

    Hiring Hank is the first smart thing the Zinke’s have done.

    It stands to reason that they would not have gone back to Rebecca Lee (Bob Muller’s daughter) after Andy fired them in the last case they needed a lawyer.

  2. The “controlled substance” was her prescription pills?

    Sounds like McHenry County politics to me…

  3. I would bet that almost every defendant prosecuted for possession akin to these particular charges at one time had prescriptions of one kind or another.

    Often times, being arrested and receiving help ends this behavior.

    If this is the case here, hopefully that will be the end result also.

    It’s difficult to keep your personal feelings separate but why stoop to their level?

  4. I have to say that I was disgusted when this judge insisted on calling the self-admitted killer of Brian Carrick by his first name.

    Kind of sick.

  5. Prescription drugs CAN become addicting-no question.

    However she’s not charged with being an addict.

    If the drugs she possessed were prescribed for her by a doctor, she’s off the hook.

    And I dare you to tell Judge Prather to her face that she’s prejudiced in Kim’s favor- be prepared to be dressed down.

    There already is another prosecutor assigned, isn’t there?

  6. I don’t remember this type of coverage on others who were struggling with alcohol issues.

    I am hoping I am wrong.

  7. Well, if she has a valid prescription, even an old/expired one, and filled the RX, it’s an open shut case.

    Otherwise she’s toast.

    But how was the pinch made in the first place????

    Traffic stop and she had it in open view?

    Sugden will not be free ….. $15K ….to start

  8. She had other peoples prescriptions, other names on them.

    They had a warrant to search her house.

    Someone dropped a dime and knew she keep them in her house.

    Not everyone is your friend Kim

  9. Well, voter, that means a warrant was issued.

    Doesn’t that put the whole household at risk of prosecution. Maybe she just took the fall for her husband (or kid?).

  10. Yes a warrant was issued but I don’t know exactly what the warrant said but they had to have information only regarding Kim to even get a warrant signed by a judge.

    There has to be evidence before they can get a warrant and make an arrest.

    If she was getting these drugs for someone else then she had better speak up or take the fall.

    There will be a lot said Friday by the State when she is before the judge.

    It is like someone witnessed Kim taking drugs from the evidence room or she was talking to someone about what she was doing or someone knew he was taking certain drugs from a drug turn in program etc.

    This is only an example and not fact.

    So with the information they started an investigation and it has come to talking to other people, maybe a sting, but they had enough evidence at one point to get a warrant and make an arrest.

    Like I said this is all speculation.

    I just wanted to explain how the whole household wouldn’t be at risk.

  11. it would be interesting to FOIA the Search Warrant affidavit, search warrant report, and the police investigative reports

  12. I don’t think having a prescription would protect her if she possessed more pills than the prescription authorized.

    This is only an example, but suppose that she had a script for thirty painkillers that could be refilled twice. If she were found in possession of two hundred of those pills, she’d have a lot of ‘splaining to do.

    It’s not at all uncommon for people to get hooked on legally prescribed drugs and then decide that they want/need more pills than the doctor is willing to give them.

  13. Superfly if you will be following this it will be brought out during trial the information about the warrant and investigative reports.

    Friday she will appear in court with her attorney and the State will read the charges to Kim and her rights under the law.

    Then the case will be set for a preliminary hearing.

    Another court date and many dates to follow.

    This won’t happen overnight.

  14. Read the article above again.

    She was placed on paid administrative leave in April 2015 (when the investigation began) but that leave became unpaid on Jan. 21 2016.

    The interesting part of this is when it says it was because of a matter unrelated to the investigation.

    So what else did she do to change the status of pay?

    Also her attorney stated that “if they could prove she had authorization to possess the pills the case goes away.

    If the pills were a prescription from her doctor she wouldn’t need authorization.

    Hmmmmmmm?

  15. Kim looks as though she could use a few of
    those pills right about now.

    Perhaps she has a secret stash …..

  16. Come on people, she is playing the system.

    I agree Kane County’s sheriff is a joke but she knew what she was doing.

    Check the tape from the evidence room.

  17. I’m sure that is part of it.

    Maybe she was taking narcotics that were suppose to be disposed of after a case was over.

    Just a thought…………

    It will be interesting how right or wrong we are in our opinions.

  18. You’ll hear nothing of any substance Friday.

    She’ll enter a plea of “Not Guilty”, discovery, if available, will most likely be exchanged, and another date set, period.

    I doubt a FOIA will get you anything informative from an on-going case, but you’re welcome to try.

    Since everybody here seems to KNOW this or that, does anyone KNOW if she has been sick, under a doctor’s care for anything physical or mental?

    Could those drugs be from something in her past medical history?

    Good luck guys, if she’s been sick or hurt in the past and has perscriptions.

  19. AZsupporter, you know nothing how court works.

    She doesn’t enter a plea tomorrow.

    They have to set a Preliminary Court date and at that time she can enter a plea.

  20. Mike – the Kane issue will be handled separately.

    Possibly with other charges.

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