Lake sheriff, Portage mayor indicted on corruption charges: Feds
Post-Tribune
November 18, 2016
Federal authorities Friday leveled a series of corruption charges against several Northwest Indiana officials.
U.S. Attorney David Capp announced indictments against Lake County Sheriff John Buncich, Chief Deputy Timothy Downs, Portage Mayor James Snyder, William Szarmach of Chase Street Auto in Gary and John Kortina of Kustom Auto in Portage.
While the investigations in Lake and Porter counties were separate, both involved allegedly soliciting and accepting money from tow company operators.
"This is a sad day for the citizens of Northwest Indiana," Capp said.
Buncich, Downs and Szarmach are named in multi-count indictments alleging deprivation of honest services and receipt of illegal money.
Among the charges the U.S. attorney leveled against Buncich are federal bribery, alleging the county's top police officals solicited, demanded and received more than $25,000 in cash and $7,000 in checks from the towing contracts.
Snyder and Kortina were charged with allegedly violating a federal bribery statue. Snyder received an additional bribery indictment for alleged accepting $13,000 in connection with a Board of Works Contract, and allegedly obstructing internal revenue laws.
Buncich, Downs, Szarmach and Kortina were all arrested and taken into custody Friday morning, according to Capp. Snyder will surrender to federal authorities later, officials said.
Buncich is the chairman of the Lake County Democratic Party and was elected to his fourth term as sheriff in 2015. Snyder, a Republican, was elected to his second term as mayor in 2015.
Federal agents were investigating a possible "receipt of a bribe by an agent of a local government receiving federal funds," "mail/wire fraud," "conspiracy to commit mail/wire fraud," and "Hobbs Act extortion under the Color of State Authority," according to a search warrant served in lake County Nov. 10.
On Nov. 10, FBI officials served search warrants at the Lake County Sheriff's Department and E-911 Department. Authorities sought information related to towing operations run through the county.
Federal agents sought records related towing operations for the last 6 years, according to a search warrant filed with the E-911 department. Information sought from the department included maps, tow logs, a list of tow companies, phone and dispatch call data for police and tow companies, emails from any sheriff's department personnel related to Lake County towing and dispatcher work schedules.
The Sheriff's Department has yet to make the search warrant served on the office public. The Post-Tribune has filed a freedom of information request for the document.
Capp said the investigations into corruption related to towing contracts in Northwest Indiana continue and more charges are anticipated.
"We know who you are. We know currently who some of you are," Capp said. "We are coming after you."
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