Plainfield man pleads guilty to theft, burglary in video gaming burglary ring case involving several counties

A Plainfield man has pleaded guilty to committing theft and burglary for his role in a video gaming burglary ring that was active in several counties.

On Thursday, Brian Morgan, 42, of Plainfield, was sentenced to nine years in prison in Lee County Circuit Court after he pleaded guilty to theft and burglary, according to a news release from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s Office.

Raoul’s office prosecuted Morgan, who is already in prison serving a sentence on unrelated charges.

Morgan was a member of a burglary ring that targeted bars, restaurants, social clubs and other small businesses with video poker and video gaming machines, according to Raoul’s office.

“They broke into dozens of these establishments in multiple counties and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash out of the machines,” Raoul said in a statement.

“Working together, the Illinois Gaming Board, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Illinois State Police and other law enforcement agencies statewide, were able to dismantle and bring to justice those involved in this video gaming burglary ring,” said Illinois Gaming Board Administrator Marcus Fruchter. “The Gaming Board will continue to work closely with its federal, state and local law enforcement partners to maintain and uphold the integrity and safety of gaming in Illinois.”

The Attorney General’s office received support in its investigation from the Illinois Gaming Board and several law enforcement agencies, including the ISP, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office, the Joliet Police Department and the Bureau, DeKalb, Grundy, Iroquois, Kendall and LaSalle county sheriffs.”ISP will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to fully investigate criminal acts and assist the Attorney General’s Office in bringing those who break the law to justice,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.

He said the case was the result of “countless hours of cooperation between my office and several law enforcement agencies.”

Those agencies include Illinois State Police, several state’s attorney’s office, the Joliet Police Department and sheriff’s offices from several counties, including Lee County. The Illinois Gaming Board was also involved in the investigation of the burglary ring.

In August 2022, Raoul announced Morgan was among four people charged with breaking into businesses around Illinois, robbing video gaming machines and ultimately stealing about $400,000.

Morgan was accused of committing the offenses in 13 counties, including Will and Lee counties.