Federal grand jury indicts Lake County sheriff
HAMMOND, Ind. — A federal grand jury has indicted a northwestern Indiana sheriff, his top deputy and a mayor, accusing them of collecting bribes in return for contracts for towing and other services, a prosecutor announced Friday.
Indictments name Lake County Sheriff John Buncich, Chief Deputy Tim Downs, Portage Mayor James Snyder and tow company owners William Szarmach of Chase Street Auto in Lake Station and John Cortina of Kustom Auto Body in Portage, U.S. Attorney David Capp said at a news conference.
The FBI last week raided Buncich’s offices in Crown Point, Indiana, 45 miles southeast of Chicago.
The indictment alleges that between February 2014 and October 2016, Buncich, Downs and Szarmach worked to enrich Buncich and his campaign committee, Buncich Boosters, through towing contracts.
Read more: http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/11/18/federal-grand-jury-indicts-lake-county-sheriff/94077948/
