On July 27 a former Rockford, Illinois police officer and a Rockford Metro Enforcement security guard were arrested on two counts of armed robbery.
Former Rockford Police Officer Yuliya Kuznets, 37, and Metro Enforcement Security Guard James Akerman, 50, robbed a woman at gunpoint on June 22 at the Van Galder Bus Station.
My Stateline News reports that a woman told police that two people wearing dark clothing approached her and pointed a gun at her demanding money. Kuznets and Akerman even shot their gun during the robbery, although the victim was not hit.
The many guns found during a search warrant execution of the suspect's home.
Upon the review of evidence, the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s office authorized robbery charges against Kuznets and Akerman. Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea conducted a search warrant Friday afternoon at a residence on Myott Avenue where the suspects lived.
During execution of the search warrant police seized 4,377 pills including Morphine, Hydrocodone, and Oxycontin, six weapons, black ski masks, and 1,000 rounds of ammunition. The drugs have a street value of $65,000, police said.
Armed robbery is a Class X felony with a sentence up to 45 years. The second charge is punishable up to 50 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, followed by three years of a mandatory supervised release.
Kuznets was employed by Rockford Police from 2005 through 2013, but records show she was terminated. Details were not available on the circumstances surrounding her firing.
Akerman and Kuznets are in the Winnebago County jail on a $750,000 bond.