Deputy Sheriff Ross Ricobene sued Will County and the Will County Sheriff, alleging that superiors used an ethnic slur for Italians to refer to him and left a fake line of cocaine on his desk. Ricobene also alleged that supervisors broke into his home, conducted a search, and detained his girlfriend to ask where he was after he missed a class. The officers then found Ricobene in a bar, put him in the backseat of their squad car, and confiscated his police equipment.
Ricobene alleged that the harassment was motivated by his Italian heritage and a 2022 arrest for driving under the influence, which resulted in him being found not guilty and having his record expunged. He sought relief under the Illinois Human Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §1981 (via §1983), and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Judge Tharp dismissed the claims against the Sheriff in his personal capacity because Ricobene failed to allege that the Sheriff was present for any of the alleged events, aware of them, or personally participated in any discriminatory acts.
The court also dismissed the official capacity claims against the Sheriff and Will County. The court ruled that Ricobene did not adequately allege a widespread custom or policy of discrimination within the Will County Sheriff’s Office sufficient to state a claim under Monell. Tharp noted that Ricobene cited only "a few sporadic examples of an improper behavior," which was insufficient to support an inference that such conduct constituted a standard operating procedure for the department.
The court declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the Illinois Human Rights Act claims after dismissing all federal claims.
Ricobene has been granted leave to amend his complaint by May 11, 2026.