A former police officer who is suspected in the disappearance of his fourth wife and the death of his third has been arrested on an unrelated weapons charge. Drew Peterson turned himself in to the Bolingbrook Police Department on charges of owning a semiautomatic rifle with a barrel that is too short under Illinois law.

Peterson posted $75,000 bond and was released.

Joel Brodsky, Peterson's attorney, said the weapons charge was another effort by the police to harass Peterson. "Any inconvenience they can cause him, so much the better," Brodsky said. "They might believe it's a tactic to shake him up."

After his wife Stacy Peterson (pictured) disappeared, police searched former policeman Drew Peterson's home and seized 11 weapons, one of which was a semiautomatic rifle with a short barrel. Brodsky said that Peterson was still a police officer at the time of the search and police officers are exempt from the length provision of the state gun law.

Officially, Peterson was charged with unlawful use of a weapon.

See Also:
Drew Peterson Charged With Weapons Violation

Earlier Articles:
Former Cop Offers Reward for Wife's Return
Cop's Third Wife's Death Ruled Homicide
Peterson 'Clearly' Suspect in Wife's Disappearance
Clues Sought in Disappearance of Stacy Peterson

^{Photo: Family Photo}