11282017 - News Article - Portage Mayor James Snyder seeks another continuance in federal corruption trial

Portage Mayor James Snyder seeks another continuance in federal corruption trial
NWI Times
November 28, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/portage-mayor-james-snyder-seeks-another-continuance-in-federal-corruption/article_e88ddca7-6f2a-5f4f-8d0e-a0b6faa0c76a.html
PORTAGE — Mayor James Snyder is seeking another continuance in his federal corruption trial.

In a filing Monday in the U.S. District Court in Hammond, Snyder, via his attorney Jackie Bennett, of Indianapolis, has asked the trial be pushed back to no sooner than June 4.

According to the filing, the latest request to delay the trial includes a conflict with Bennett's schedule and the need for adequate time to prepare for the trial.

Snyder chose Bennett as his new attorney early last month after his former attorney, Thomas Kirsch, was confirmed as  U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Indiana.

Snyder and co-defendant John Cortina had been set to go to trial on Jan. 29. The trial had originally been set for January 2017, but Snyder and Cortina have received several other continuances.

According to the most recent filing, Bennett writes that the government does not object to the requested continuance for Snyder due to his change in attorney, but will file a separate response to any continuance requested by Cortina.

Snyder was indicted on Nov. 18, 2016, on two counts of bribery and one count of tax evasion. Cortina also was indicted at the same time on one count of bribery.

Snyder is alleged to have corruptly solicited and received two checks totaling $12,000 from Cortina in exchange for a towing contract in the city of Portage, according to information from the U.S. Department of Justice. Cortina is charged with corruptly offering those checks to Snyder.

Snyder is also charged with a second violation of the federal bribery statute. That count alleges that between Jan. 1, 2012, and Jan. 10, 2014, Snyder corruptly solicited and agreed to accept a bank check in the amount of $13,000 in connection with Board of Works contracts, a Redevelopment Commission project and other considerations, according to federal documents.

The final charge against Snyder alleges obstruction of internal revenue laws. This count alleges a scheme, undertaken by Snyder between January 2010 and April 2013, to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Service’s collection of personal taxes he owed and payroll taxes owed by his mortgage business.