Mercy sought for former Portage mayor as feds name new prosecutor for sentencing
NWI Times
October 01, 2021
HAMMOND — Former Portage Mayor James Snyder was probably the best mayor the city ever had and considered himself the city's pastor, local Realtor James Thompson writes in a letter calling on a federal judge to have mercy when sentencing his "dear friend" on bribery and tax violation charges next month.
The letter supporting Snyder came as prosecutors brought in special attorney Amarjeet S. Bhachu from Chicago to help the government prepare for sentencing.
Thompson describes in his letter going through a difficult financial period in 2008 and Snyder opening his personal checkbook and loaning him money, "No questions asked."
Thompson also said upon learning that his son had become involved in drugs at school, he turned to Snyder, who referred him to the then-police chief, who sent a drug dog to inspect the child's bedroom, the letter says. After finding no drugs there, police confronted the boy at the high school.
"I think it scared my son like nothing else would," Thompson wrote. "Without them (Snyder and police) it could have gone a completely different way that would not be pretty."
Thompson said Snyder was "always offering and encouraging his leadership team to extend second chances when a resident or a city employee messed up."
"I hope this court finds an ounce of mercy and kindness," Thompson wrote. "The same mercy and kindness that James Snyder extended to so many."
Snyder is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 13.
A federal jury found Snyder, a Republican, guilty March 19 of corruptly soliciting and receiving a $13,000 bribe as mayor eight years ago from a Portage truck dealership for steering city business to the firm.
It was the second time a jury found Snyder guilty of the offense in two years.
Snyder has asked the judge to spare him from prison when he is sentenced.
"A sentence of imprisonment is unnecessary to further the objectives of either general or specific deterrence," the defense wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
"Any reasonable person in the region viewing this case would understand the costs imposed on Mr. Snyder and his family, quite apart from any prison term," the defense wrote. "No observer of this case could take away any message other than that similar conduct risks devastating, fundamentally life-changing results."
Prosecutors are seeking a lengthy prison sentence for Snyder, saying it should fall within the federal sentencing guidelines of between 46 to 57 months.
The defense has attempted to downplay Snyder's tax violation conviction by saying his mortgage loan origination business fell victim to the economic recession of 2008.
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