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December 3, 2024

Randi Freese was officially sworn in as McHenry County's new State's Attorney. She is the first woman in this role.
Photo provided.
Randi Freese was officially sworn in as McHenry County’s new State’s Attorney. She is the first woman in this role.

News • December 3, 2024

First woman to serve as McHenry County’s state’s attorney sworn into office

By

MCHENRY COUNTY — On Dec. 12, Randi Freese was sworn in to become the county’s new state’s attorney. She is the first woman to serve in the role. Freese ran for the state’s attorney position unopposed after former McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally announced back in April that he would not be running for reelection in the November 2024 General Elections.

According to Freese’s campaign website, she comes from a family of first responders and law enforcement, with her father having served as both a firefighter and a police officer. In addition, Freese has one brother who is a firefighter, and another who is a police officer. She stated that the example set forth by her family members set her on a course toward public service in the law and ultimately made her interested in working for the prosecutor’s office.

Freese completed her undergraduate degree at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and began law school at DePaul University’s College of Law in Chicago. While still in law school, Freese interned at the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, which at the time, was headed by Lou Bianchi. Freese added that it was during her internship that she found her calling as a prosecutor.

After completing and passing the bar exam in 2010, Bianchi offered Freese a job as an assistant state’s attorney. Through that role, she managed to work her way up the ranks, prosecuting every type of crime in McHenry County. Over the last eight years, Freese has personally tried nearly all the county’s murders and high-profile cases.

Most notably, in the first case of its kind in the state, Freese was the lead prosecutor in the case against former Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) employee Carlos Acosta for his role in the death of five-year-old Andrew “AJ” Freund.

Throughout her career, Freese was rewarded with growing responsibilities by both Bianchi and Kenneally. Her leadership in the courtroom and the operations of the state’s attorney’s office elevated her to the roles of first assistant state’s attorney, second in command, and being responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office.

“Her dedication, expertise, and integrity have earned her a reputation as a tough, talented, and thorough prosecutor. We are eager to serve the people of McHenry County under Randi Freese’s new administration,” stated the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office on its Facebook page.

Freese currently resides in Crystal Lake with her husband, Robert, and their son Michael.