Current:Home > InvestDeputy police chief in Illinois indicted on bankruptcy charges as town finances roil-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Deputy police chief in Illinois indicted on bankruptcy charges as town finances roil
View Date:2024-12-23 23:26:31
A federal grand jury has indicted an Illinois police official on charges of bankruptcy fraud and perjury.
Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey of the Dolton Police Department faces nine counts including bankruptcy fraud, making false statements and declarations in a bankruptcy case and perjury. Each charge carries a maximum of five years in prison.
Lacey, 61, underreported his income, hid bank accounts and, "made several materially false and fraudulent representations" in multiple bankruptcy cases filed since the 1980s, federal prosecutors say in a news release.
Prosecutors also allege that Lacey lied about being separated from his wife and that she did not live with him or contribute to the household financially. The allegations stem from Lacey's time as an officer before he became deputy chief.
Lacey is the second Dolton village official to face bankruptcy fraud charges as Keith Freeman, a senior administrator for the suburb about 20 miles south of Chicago, was indicted in April.
Lacey's arraignment date has not been set and he has maintained his innocence through is lawyer.
Federal charges come as suburb roils in financial crisis
The indictment comes as the Dolton Village Board is investigating the city's finances.
The investigation, led by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, found multiple instances of a small group of police officers receiving large amounts of overtime. Lacey received over $215,000 in overtime pay from 2022 to June of this year. The investigation also found that the city had not had an annual report or audit since 2021.
Lacey, who was Dolton's acting police chief, was placed on administrative leave then fired last week, according to Chicago NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV.
Lacey's lawyer, Gal Pissetzky, told Chicago ABC affiliate WLS that the charges are an attempt to get at Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who is the target of a federal investigation.
"The government and some people in Dolton have it out for the mayor. And so they decided to go and try to get to the mayor through other people that served under her," Pissetzky told the station.
The investigation found that Dolton is over $3.5 million dollars in debt and that credit cards for the city had been used to make unexplained purchases and fund travel under Henyard's watch. The credit card spending includes over $40,000 in purchases made on Jan. 5, 2023.
Lightfoot said that Henyard did not cooperate with the investigation in a presentation of the investigation's findings, according to WMAQ.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- Incredible animal moments: Watch farmer miraculously revive ailing chick, doctor saves shelter dogs
- Boy, 3, dead after accidentally shooting himself in Tennessee
- Today’s Climate: May 10, 2010
- After criticism over COVID, the CDC chief plans to make the agency more nimble
- Cruel Intentions' Brooke Lena Johnson Teases the Biggest Differences Between the Show and the 1999 Film
- Selfless by Hyram: Why Women Everywhere Love This Influencer's Skincare Line
- Coronavirus FAQ: Does a faint line on a self-test mean I'm barely contagious?
- As Climate Talks Open, Federal Report Exposes U.S. Credibility Gap
- Homes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce burglarized, per reports
- The Truth About Emma Watson's 5-Year Break From Acting
Ranking
- Lala Kent Swears by This Virgo-Approved Accessory and Shares Why Stassi Schroeder Inspires Her Fall Style
- Opponents, supporters of affirmative action on whether college admissions can be truly colorblind
- Reporting on Devastation: A Puerto Rican Journalist Details Life After Maria
- Shop the Best Silicone-Free Conditioners for All Hair Types & Budgets
- Trump breaks GOP losing streak in nation’s largest majority-Arab city with a pivotal final week
- Cash App Founder Bob Lee's Cause of Death Revealed
- Summer House: Martha's Vineyard Stars Explain the Vacation Spot's Rich Black History
- Directors Guild of America reaches truly historic deal with Hollywood studios
Recommendation
-
‘Heretic’ and Hugh Grant debut with $11 million, but ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ tops box office again
-
Hunger Games' Alexander Ludwig Welcomes Baby With Wife Lauren
-
Resolution Opposing All New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure Passes in Portland
-
Taro Takahashi
-
Florida State can't afford to fire Mike Norvell -- and can't afford to keep him
-
Today’s Climate: May 1-2, 2010
-
Paris gets a non-alcoholic wine shop. Will the French drink it?
-
Health firm wrongly told hundreds of people they might have cancer