MT. CARROLL, Ill. – A federal civil rights lawsuit filed against Carroll County and the City of Mt. Carroll last year, alleging Fourth Amendment violations, was settled out of court and without a public vote.
The lawsuit accused Carroll County deputies and Mt. Carroll officers of violating a Mt. Carroll man’s Fourth Amendment rights when they entered his home without a warrant and arrested him in May 2024.
Paul Little, of Mt. Carroll, was the Plaintiff.
The Defendants were Carroll County and Sheriff Ryan Kloepping, Deputy Tyler Todd, Deputy Christian Ponall, the City of Mt. Carroll and Officer Courtney Grinnall.
The details.
On May 11, 2024, officers arrived at Paul Little’s home in Mt. Carroll to investigate a domestic battery allegation against his son Matthew Little, court documents show.
Paul confirmed to officers Matthew lived at the home, but then asked if the officers had a warrant for Matthew’s arrest or to search the home, court documents show.
The complaint alleged officers told Paul that they did not have any warrant, of which was later confirmed in court documents.
Officers asked Paul if they could speak with Matthew about the allegations, but Paul told officers they were not allowed to enter the home unless they had a warrant, court documents and bodycam footage show.
According to the complaint, after Paul stepped back into his home and tried closing the door, officers stepped into the doorway preventing Paul from closing his door.
After a back and forth verbal exchange between Paul and the officers, the complaint alleged officers suddenly forced their way into the home without warning.
According to the complaint, Paul was knocked backwards ‘four to five feet’ before slamming into the kitchen counter after falling over a laundry basket.
Paul surrendered to the officers before being handcuffed and informed he was being placed under arrest for interfering with an investigation, court documents show.
According to the complaint, after being placed in a squad car, Paul saw multiple officers entering and exiting his home ‘at the direction of Sheriff Kloepping.’
Officers say Paul shut the door in their face and told them to ‘get a warrant,’ but then ‘turned to run’ after being told he would be arrested for obstructing, affidavits show.
Furthermore, officers claimed Paul fought deputies until his hands were behind his back and he was taken into custody.
Court records show Paul was charged with Resisting or Obstructing an Officer, a Class A Misdemeanor, but the charge was later dismissed by prosecutors.
In August 2024, Matthew pleaded Guilty to Battery, a Class A Misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 12 months of court supervision and ordered to pay hundreds of dollars in fines and fees, court records show.
The settlement.
In October 2025, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in court after each party agreed to settle the case privately.
Through a records request, we obtained the confidential agreement approved by Carroll County and the City of Mt. Carroll awarding Paul $190,000, of which more than 90% was paid by Carroll County.
In December 2025, the agreement was modified to remove a confidentiality clause that kept it sealed from the public.
The agreement cites ‘cost of defense’ as the only contributor in choosing to settle the lawsuit. The defendants maintain their innocence and deny any and all liability, wrongdoing or fault in the case.
On Feb. 3, Carroll County Board Chair Julie Bickelhaupt told me a public vote was not required to approve the settlement because it was paid through insurance provider.
Sheriff Kloepping did not respond to my requests for comment.
In an email sent to me, Paul wrote:
‘We still have a constitution, for the time being, and we must stand up for our rights. I was just lucky enough to have an attorney to handle my case.’
Click link below to view the full settlement agreement and addendum.
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