Former Waukegan Alderman Roudell Kirkwood Avoids Prison After Guilty Pleas

Roudell Kirkwood, the former alderman for the 4th Ward in Waukegan, has avoided a prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges of fraud, forgery, and official misconduct. The 72-year-old reached a plea agreement with prosecutors on Wednesday in Lake County Court, which led to a conditional discharge. As a result, the other 27 counts from a 31-count indictment filed in 2022 were dismissed.

Although a conviction on all original counts could have resulted in several years of incarceration, court records indicate that Kirkwood will not serve any time in prison. He is now on probation, and a Lake County judge retains the authority to send him to jail if he violates the terms of his agreement.

Under the conditional discharge order signed by Lake County Judge Mark Levitt, Kirkwood is required to pay $1,165 in fines and costs. He must also comply with all judicial orders, obey local laws and ordinances, and adhere to any orders of protection. The order further mandates that he provide a DNA sample, refrain from possessing a firearm, and surrender his Firearm Owners Identification card.

The probation terms also include professional and educational requirements. Kirkwood must remain employed or obtain the necessary education to earn a living. If he wishes to leave the state of Illinois, he must seek court approval, provide contact information to compliance officials, and notify them of any changes in his whereabouts or new legal charges, including traffic tickets.

The original indictment alleged that Kirkwood made false statements on video gaming and liquor license applications. Specifically, he indicated that he was the sole owner of a restaurant with gaming machines, despite being only a part owner. His son, Joshua, was also an owner of the establishment. The indictment noted that in two counts, Kirkwood failed to mention his son’s federal criminal conviction, a requirement under Illinois law when a family member is an owner.

As a member of the Waukegan City Council, Kirkwood was required to disclose his status as a public official on relevant license applications. The indictment states that he failed to make these disclosures eight times on liquor licenses and twice on gaming applications. Additionally, he failed to disclose that his campaign committee had made donations on four occasions and failed to report delinquent taxes twice when applying for liquor licenses, both of which are violations of state law.

Kirkwood was defeated in the 2023 Democratic primary for the 4th Ward seat. Current Alderman Victor Felix won the election with 58.1% of the 179 votes cast, while Kirkwood received 41.9%, according to the Lake County Clerk’s website.

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart announced on Saturday that he had asked Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser to prosecute the case. Rinehart explained that he had previously represented a member of Kirkwood’s family while working as a private lawyer before becoming the state’s attorney. Neither Kirkwood nor Mosser was available for comment on the decision.

The case took on a somber tone for the family earlier this year. Joshua Kirkwood, 51, was killed in a stabbing incident on February 8, 2025. The incident occurred outside a Waukegan restaurant located in the 2100 block of North Green Bay Road.