Former Itasca, West Chicago police officers charged over alleged misuse of Flock cameras

A former Itasca police officer and a ex-West Chicago police officer are both facing felony charges for allegedly making “unauthorized forbidden” searches of Flock license plate reader databases, according to the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.

Marisa Ciccola, 30, who previously was an Itasca police officer, and former West Chicago officer Gerardo Solis, were charged by a grand jury in September and turned themselves in Tuesday before being released on bond, the office said.

Ciccola faces 13 counts of official misconduct and eight counts of computer tampering, while Solis was charged with official misconduct and a single count of computer tampering. They both are set to appear in court again Nov. 16.

Between June 2025 and May 2026, Ciccola is alleged to have made unauthorized searches while Solis was accused of doing so at least once between Dec. 18, 2024, and Jan. 15, 2025, according to prosecutors. Both of their respective former police agencies said they will cooperate with investigators.

The two are the latest in an ongoing epidemic of alleged police misuse of the mass surveillance system.

Early last month, West Chicago announced it was reviewing its use of Flock cameras after officials announced an investigation into Solis. The Channahon Police Department in Will County said it was conducting a similar review after an investigation found that its officers may have also made unauthorized searches. The accused officers were placed suspected officers on leave.

Those actions came at the same time as Homer Glen announced that it was suspending the use of Flock cameras within its borders “pending final determination of the investigation and review of the Sheriff’s ALPR protocol” after a Will County sheriff’s deputy was placed on administrative leave amid allegations he misused the technology.

In recent months, a part-time Prairie Grove cop, who was also serving as the chief of police for Holiday Hills, was accused of abusing the system to stalk people he knew through nearly 250 unauthorized searches of their license plate movements and faces multiple felony charges of official misconduct.

In August, Frank McGrath, a former Kenosha County, Wisconsin sheriff’s deputy, was hit with felony charges after an audit revealed he’d used Flock to spy on a co-worker, according to the agency.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said despite the charges against Ciccola, Solis and others, license plate reader cameras were a “crucial component of law enforcement” that had led to arrests.

“Misuse of this technology, however, must carry consequences and anyone who breaches the public trust in such a manner will be held accountable,” Berlin said in a statement.