WAUKEGAN, Ill. – A former Waukegan police officer charged in the 2020 shooting death of a 19-year-old man has been found guilty in a separate case.
What we know:
Dante Salinas, 42, of Gurnee, was convicted Friday of one felony count of official misconduct for repeatedly punching an unarmed man in the face during a baptism party in August 2019, according to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Angel Salgado was standing in his in-laws’ yard after the baptism when Salinas stopped his patrol car to speak with him. The two men began arguing, and when Salinas attempted to arrest Salgado, Salgado stepped back and tried to return to the fenced yard.
Salinas followed him and punched Salgado multiple times. Minutes later, backup officers arrived to assist. Prosecutors said that although Salgado struggled during the arrest, he never harmed any officers.
Salgado suffered facial injuries, including a broken eye socket. In his police report, Salinas admitted to punching him.
What they’re saying:
“Constitutional and safe policing must be at the core of any justice system,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement. “We agree with the Court when it said that the police are here to protect the community and that their job is incredibly difficult. But this one officer went too far.”
Judge George Strickland ruled that while Salgado resisted arrest, Salinas’s use of force was “unreasonable.”
What’s next:
Salinas is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 28.
Dig deeper:
He also faces separate charges in connection with the October 2020 traffic stop confrontation that led to the shooting death of Marcellis Stinnette, 19.
The Source: Details for this story were provided in a press release from the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.