Ex-Illinois Quarterback, Now Chicago Cop, Busted for Allegedly Stealing Baseball Cards

Christopher Pazan, once a promising quarterback at the University of Illinois and now a Chicago police officer, has found himself on the wrong side of the law.

Pazan, 41, was arrested Wednesday after allegedly stealing about $300 worth of baseball cards from a Meijer store in Evergreen Park. Evergreen Park Police Sgt. Victor Watts said store security footage showed Pazan slipping the cards into a yard waste bag before paying for the bag—but not the cards themselves.

Hired by the Chicago Police Department in 2015, Pazan has since been stripped of his police powers pending an internal investigation. Before his arrest, he was assigned to the Morgan Park District and also worked in the department’s central investigations division, handling cases like arson, financial crimes, and auto theft.

Pazan’s attorney didn’t respond to requests for comment, and efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.

Pazan made a name for himself at Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood, where he broke passing records and was considered a top college prospect. His college career at Illinois didn’t live up to the hype—he started only a few games—but he later served as a coach at Illinois and St. Joseph’s College before joining the police force.

“I wanted something more; to do something more and to serve in a different capacity,” he told the Chicago Tribune back in 2015.

Pazan’s time with the Chicago Police Department included playing for the Chicago Enforcers, a football team of local law enforcement officers.

He earns a base salary of $111,804, not including overtime, according to city payroll records. However, Pazan’s financial picture has been rocky. He’s currently going through a divorce, with a court hearing scheduled the same day as his arrest. His former lawyer, Tania K. Harvey, is seeking to recover nearly $5,900 in unpaid legal fees.

His current legal team told the court he’s refinancing his Beverly home to pay attorney fees and settle his divorce case.

Pazan’s financial woes have a longer history. Fifth Third Bank tried to collect $4,000 in unpaid debt last year but couldn’t locate him to serve the papers, leading to the case being dropped. In 2022, JPMorgan Chase filed a lawsuit seeking more than $15,000; Pazan ultimately settled for $12,500 by mid-2024.

City hiring records show that significant debt can prevent applicants from becoming police officers, a measure intended to reduce the risk of financial pressure compromising their integrity.

Pazan is now facing a misdemeanor retail theft charge. His first court date is scheduled for June 23 in Bridgeview.