Former Joliet police officer indicted on federal drug trafficking charges

A former Joliet police officer has been indicted on federal drug trafficking charges for allegedly distributing cocaine and attempting to distribute fentanyl in the Chicago area.

William R. Busse III, 41, distributed cocaine and methamphetamine in Chicago in 2021, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

The Homer Glen man also attempted to distribute cocaine and fentanyl in suburban Chicago that same year, the indictment stated.

Busse was charged with six counts of distribution and attempted distribution of controlled substances, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.

The Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force (HIDTA) assisted with the investigation.