(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Some people who have rented boats from a marina on the Chain O'Lakes this summer could be in for an unpleasant surprise, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials accused Steven Wooden, who owns Anchor Marina in unincorporated Antioch, of forging government documents so he could illegally offer boats for rent this season.
Christopher Covelli is a deputy chief with the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
“Steven Wooden … was investigated for submitting forged documents from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to the Fox Waterway Agency in an effort for him to obtain commercial rental licenses for his fleet of boats,” Covelli said.
He said Wooden was arrested and charged with forgery.
In 2023, Covelli said another marina owned by the Wooden family illegally offered boats for rent — and some of those boats were seized by police from unsuspecting customers.
The same thing could happen this year, he said.
“What could happen is — if the coast guard, conservations police or sheriff’s police see that boat out — it isn’t cleared to be safely operated on the Chain O’Lakes, and therefore we would have no choice but to impound it because we can’t verify it’s safety,” said Covelli.
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