# Illinois special prosecutors face misconduct claims

> Lawyer and researcher uncover ethical breaches in Illinois' Special Prosecution Unit.
- Title: Illinois special prosecutors face misconduct claims | Shortify
- Summary: Lawyer and researcher uncover ethical breaches in Illinois' Special Prosecution Unit. Julie Ajster and Bradley VanHoose found misconduct by Illinois special…
- Keywords: julie ajster, bradley vanhoose, illinois special prosecution unit, david rands, brian towne, ilstate attorneys appellate prosecutor, il saap, perjury charges, felony harassment, court records, legal misconduct, special prosecutors
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2026/09/21/special-prosecution-unit-brian-towne-david-rands-julie-ajster-bradley-vanhoose-illinois
- Published: 2026-09-21T10:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: julie ajster, bradley vanhoose, illinois special prosecution unit, david rands, brian towne, ilstate attorneys appellate prosecutor, il saap, perjury charges, felony harassment, court records, legal misconduct, special prosecutors
## Charged by special prosecutors
Attorney Julie Ajster and court researcher Bradley VanHoose were acquitted of felony charges after being charged by Illinois' special prosecutors.
## Uncovered misconduct
Ajster and VanHoose used legal research skills to gather records showing ethical breaches by the Special Prosecution Unit.
## Special prosecutors' history
Brian Towne and David Rands, two veteran special prosecutors, have faced accusations of misconduct and conflicts of interest.
## Towne's SAFE Team
Towne created the SAFE Team, a highway patrol unit that confiscated over $1 million from drivers in five years.
## Towne's conflicts
Towne had overlapping roles as police officer and prosecutor, creating a disqualifying conflict under Illinois law.
## Towne's surveillance
Towne secretly recorded calls between Ajster and her fiancé’s friend to discredit her in court.
## Towne's perjury charges
Towne charged Ajster with perjury for a statement she made in a recorded call that contradicted an affidavit.
## Towne's suspension
Ajster was suspended for 30 days for misrepresenting her fiancé’s income to the court.
## Towne's election loss
Towne lost the 2016 St. Clair County state’s attorney election after Ajster’s court filings exposed SAFE Team spending.
## Towne's new role
Towne was hired as a member of the Special Prosecution Unit after losing the election.
## VanHoose's case
VanHoose was charged with threatening a former mayor during a profanity-laced confrontation outside a diner.
## Rands' nickname
Rands earned the nickname 'Rollover Rands' for quickly dismissing charges against well-connected defendants.
## Rands' cases
Rands reduced charges for relatives of politically powerful people, often expunging cases without public record.
## Rands' stringer shooting
Rands cleared the officer involved in the 2016 shooting of Jason Stringer, an unarmed Black man.
## Rands' oversight
Rands' decisions were not challenged in 73 Cook County cases where ILSAAP reviewed police shootings.
## Rands' impact
Rands' actions led to the unaccounted for case of Blaine Zdybel, a registered sex offender in South Carolina.
## Key takeaway

Julie Ajster and Bradley VanHoose found misconduct by Illinois special prosecutors after being charged with perjury and harassment.