McCann, former state senator and gubernatorial candidate, appearing before judge Monday

Former state senator and gubernatorial candidate William "Sam" McCann is set to appear before a U.S. District Court judge on Monday, nearly three years after his indictment on alleged misuse of campaign funds, money laundering, and tax evasion.

Agreeing to waive a jury trial last week, the indictment from 2021 alleged McCann used funds from political campaigns for personal expenses including vehicles, personal debts, mortgages, and pay for himself. Prosecutors said the criminal activity took place between May 2015 and June 2020, illegally using more than $200,000 from campaign coffers.

McCann was a Republican state senator from 2011 until January 2019, representing the Illinois 50th Senate District, which included parts of Springfield and Sangamon County.

He decided to not seek another term as senator and ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 2018 as a third-party candidate. Running under the Conservative Party — a more politically conservative alternative than former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner — McCann finished third with less than 5% of the vote.

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The indictment lists nine counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion for his alleged misuse of the $5 million his political committees received in campaign funds. Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser oversaw the indictment while serving as then-U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois.

McCann resides in Plainview but previously lived in Carlinville. He is accused of using $64,750 to pay two separate personal mortgage loans secured on his former residence and an adjoining property used as an office for his construction business.

In 2017 and 2018, McCann allegedly used $60,000 from his campaigns to buy new vehicles. The vehicles were for personal use, prosecutors said, and he used campaign funds to cover fuel and insurance expenses.

Also in 2018, McCann allegedly created an online account for a recreational vehicle rental business in Ohio, listing himself as the owner. McCann, who goes by his middle name Sam, used his first name William to rent the vehicles from himself taking $77,000 from his campaign accounts, according to court documents. As a result, prosecutors charged McCann with tax evasion for not reporting income.

After losing the November 2018 governor's race, according to the documents, McCann continued to pay himself with funds from the Conservative Party for a total of about $187,000. Prosecutors say his use of a payroll service helped to keep the payments from appearing to come from himself.

The indictment also says McCann used $50,000 in campaign funds for personal enjoyment, including a vacation and online shopping from various retailers.

McCann has pled not guilty to the charges and received bond on the condition he would not leave the state with the exception of medical appointments in St. Louis. He was also forced to forfeit his Firearm Owner Identification Card and the 75 firearms found in his home.

If convicted on all charges, McCann faces up to 25 years in prison.

Contact Patrick M. Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Former gubernatorial candidate McCann trial slated for Monday