States Attorney
VILLA PARK MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN MILITARY RAFFLE SCHEME
WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett announced today that Donald L. McCarver, 41 (d.o.b 4/16/65), of 324 North Ardmore, Villa Park, entered a plea of guilty to one count of Conspiracy, one count of Forgery, one count Unauthorized Possession of a Controlled Substance and Obstructing Justice for his role in an illegal raffle. In addition, McCarver yesterday entered a plea of guilty to Aggravated Home Repair Fraud in an unrelated case.
In May, 2006, the DuPage County Crime Stoppers received a tip that McCarver and his fiancée, Anne M. Pelligrini, 41, (d.o.b 12/28/64) of the same address, were posing as military reservists to fraudulently collect money from shoppers at local supermarkets and discount stores. When approached by investigators, McCarver and Pelligrini, who wore a Navy dress uniform, insisted that they were military personnel and that the charity they were collecting funds for, the Navy/Marines Family Relief Fundraiser, was legitimate. Further investigation revealed however, that neither McCarver nor Pelligrini were active military personnel and that the charity does not exist.
Both cases are scheduled for sentencing on December 1, 2006 in front of Judge George Bakalis. In August, 2006 Pelligrini was sentenced to180 days in the DuPage County Jail and 24 months of probation for her role in the scheme. She was also ordered to perform 150 hours of community service for a veteran’s organization and pay restitution.
“What I find particularly disturbing in this case is that Mr. McCarver took donations that were intended to help families of the brave men and women who defend our country and kept them for his own personal use,” commented Birkett. “That someone would take money from the families of those who risk their lives for us, the very people they claim to represent, is disgraceful.”
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