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SECTION 2 - PAGE 11 - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1984 Former patrolman convicted on indecent liberties charge By Kirk Birginal Plaindealer new? servie ̂Herman Roebke, a former Crystal Lake patrolman con­ victed of indecent liberties with a child, was sentenced last week to four years' probation and ordered to undergo psychiatric counseUng. Under the sentence handed down by McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Henry Cowlin, Roebke must spend nights and weekends in the county jail for the first three years of his probation and will be allowed to work during the day. Roebke said afterwards that he plans to appeal his conviction for molesting a 16-year-old girl while off duty in November 1962. "I am innocent and I will prove it one way or another," he said. He later added: "If I were really guilty, the sentence would be too lenient." Cowlin ordered Roebke, free on $25,000 bond since his con­ viction, to surrender himself to sheriffs deputies on April 21 to begin serving his sentence, which also requires Roebke to pay about $11,000 for three years' board while in jail. Testimony during the trial contended that Roebke had had sexual relations with a 16-year- old girl on at least one occasion and then had taken her for an abortion. A counselor with the abortion clinic testified that the former policeman presented himself as the youth officer with the Crystal Lake Police Department who helped pregnant girls when they couldn't go to their parents. Defense witnesses testified that the girl "hated" Roebke's wife, and Roebke, denying he had had sex with the teenager, contended that the girl brought the charges against him because he had advised her not to marry her boyfriend. Assistant State's Attorney Gary Pack called another teenage girl to the stand during the two-day bench trial who testified that Roebke had of­ fered to perform an obstetrical examination to determine if she were pregnant. After first denying he had spoken to the girl, Roebke later testified that he had only ad­ vised her where she could go to get an abortion. The sentence was handed down following a hearing in 19th Judicial Circuit Court in which six witnesses, including em­ ployers, friends and neighbors, testified that they knew Roebke to be a loving father and con­ scientious woiricer. One neighbor, Edward Kus, testified that during the five years he had known Roebke "everybody in the neighborhood had good things to say about him." Pack, however, urged that a stiff sentence be imposed because Roebke had proven himself to be an emotional and physical threat to the girl Michael Rowe, an investigator with the state's attorney's of­ fice, and Keith Nygren of the Crystal Lake police both testified to an incident that allegedly occurred about two weeks ago in a department store where the girl works. Testimony alleged that Roebke and his wife had gone to the store and were seen by the girl as they walked through the checkout aisle adjacent to her. After they left, the girl saw two pictures of herself on the floor, torn in half, according to testimony. Pack, in asking for the maximum sentence, referred to Roebke's earlier testimony - that he did not need psychological counseling - to indicate that Roebke could not be rehabilitated. "The first step in rehabilitation is admitting your guilt," Pack said. "What do we have in this case? Nothing but a cover up" and an attempt to lay blame for the crime on the 16- year-old victim, he said. Roebke's attorney, Arthur Carlson, said that if the former police officer were imprisoned in a State penitentiary "there is an excellent possibility he could be undergoing a death penalty." ^Wgeneral^^™ Views Conservation District offers no-till planters for rent The McHenry County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is once again gearing up for the spring planting season. The District will offer no-till planters for rent to McHenry County farmers concerned about soil erosion and its con­ trol. The rental fee of $10 per acre includes a choice of a four row, 38-inch or six row, 30-inch John Deer planter and tractor; the delivery and pickup of the equipment from planting sites; and a trained conservation tillage technician to help with equipment operation and ad­ justments. The district furnishes rental of no-till planters with the hope that local farmers will take advantage of the program to help foster an ever growing trend in conserving a most important resource, the soil. Questions regarding no-till planting can be answered by contacting the SWCD at 1143 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, 815-338-0099. Rt. 12-Fox Lake Road improvement begins soon The State Department of Transportation will begin actual work cm May 2 to make interim improvements to the in­ tersection of Fox Lake Road and US 12 at Pistakee Highlands, announced John C. Regner, McHenry Township road district highway commissioner.. Regner attended a precon- struction conference with state engineers and construction contractors at the Schaumburg IDOT District 1 headquarters April 11, and said that the construction phase plans "looked good". Hie state will spend $182,000 on this project, which will consist of widening the existing Route 12 to three lanes at the intersection to include a west­ bound left-turn lane, a right hand through lane, ther­ moplastic lane striping, and traffic signals. There also will be some curb and gutter in­ stalled and a guard rail on the north side of Route 12 to preclude vehicles from going north through the intersection and over the embankment. Construction is expected to be done on or about July 6. "I know we're all pleased to see this temporary im­ provement, he said, "Traffic safety will be greatly im­ proved". Regner also said the interim improvements would be in place until later in the decade, when the state would recon­ struct Route 12 from State Park Road to Route 31, and final improvements would then take place. "We have the plans for the interim improvements at the township office available for inspection during normal working hours", he said. J i J » * i » ^ Steaks, Mr. mnd Mm. 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