A St. Clair County dentist and noted "tax buyer" of properties whose owners owe unpaid property taxes has sued the county government and a sheriff's deputy, claiming the deputy allegedly illegally searched his property in 2023 and arrested him when he protested.
On June 16, Kenneth Brosh, of O'Fallon, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against St. Clair County and St. Clair County Sheriff's Deputy Devon Thomas.
Brosh is representing himself in the action, according to court records.
According to the complaint, Brosh was allegedly "gardening on his five-acre secluded property" on June 17, 2023, when he called police to come to his home after he allegedly "witnessed a driver committing a criminal violation while driving down a partially private drive just off of (Brosh's) property."
According to the complaint, Deputy Thomas responded to the call but "was instantly hostile" on arriving at Brosh's home. Thomas allegedly "demanded (Brosh) show his identification and move his vehicle" from its place "partially on the roadway, or he would be ticketed..."
According to the complaint, after showing his ID and moving his car, Brosh "went inside his home," but soon allegedly saw Thomas "walking around in (Brosh's) garage area and then his home."
According to the complaint, when Brosh confronted the deputy, the officer allegedly "aggressively took (Brosh) by his wrists," broke Brosh's phone and "arrested (Brosh) without explanation."
According to the complaint, Brosh was allegedly charged with obstruction of a roadway, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and was taken to the county jail.
In his complaint, Brosh asserted his arrest and jailing was unjustified and the search was illegal, all allegedly violating his constitutional rights.
Further, Brosh claims the arrest and criminal charges "affected (his) dentistry practice and his other businesses, and provided embarrassment and distress."
According to the complaint, Brosh has worked as a dentist in St. Clair County for more than 25 years.
The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for comment from The Record.
Brosh's lawsuit marks the latest controversy for the dentist.
Brosh is also a so-called local "tax buyer," who routinely uses Illinois' constitutionally controversial delinquent tax collection process to acquire properties whose owners owe unpaid property taxes.
In recent years, Brosh has been involved in other legal fights. In 2019, for instance, Brosh was among those sued by a rival St. Clair County tax buyer, who accused Brosh of allegedly participating in an alleged scheme to attack his reputation by allegedly falsely accusing the other tax buyer of participating in a bid-rigging scheme.
In 2018, U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle dismissed a fraud lawsuit brought on behalf of St. Clair County property owners who claimed the St. Clair County Treasurer's office had participated in the alleged scheme on behalf of tax buyers.
According to court documents, the lawsuit was the result of a letter sent by Brosh in 2014, which asserted potential problems with delinquent property tax sales in St. Clair County.
Soon after, then-Madison County Treasurer Kurt Prenzler held a press conference, publicly asserting he had identified "patterns of fraud" in delinquent property tax sales in neighboring St. Clair County.
Prenzler had become treasurer in Madison County after his predecessor was criminally convicted for allegedly rigging tax sales to benefit political donors.
