U.S. Attorney puts officials on notice about corruption
Van Bokkelen says FBI-backed task force is investigating others
Post-Tribune (IN)
May 19, 2002
It was the first news conference for U.S. Attorney Joseph Van Bokkelen since he was appointed to the job by President Bush last year.
And perhaps the most momentous news conference in Lake County in years.
Announcing Friday's federal indictment of Gary city Clerk Katie Hall -- and her daughter, Chief Deputy Clerk Junifer Hall -- Van Bokkelen warned the indictments should put all public officials on notice.
With 22 charges leveled against the two, ranging from racketeering to perjury, he said his office won't stop with just one corruption indictment, if more are to be had.
With an FBI-backed public-corruption task force operating in Northwest Indiana, he said he won't hesitate to prosecute others when there is proof of illegal activity.
"The vast majority of public officials do their jobs legally and in the best interest of the public," Van Bokkelen said. "But for those who choose to do otherwise, make no mistake: This office will seek them out and prosecute them."
The public-corruption task force, he said, is heavily modeled after the 1980s "Operation Lights Out" effort that nabbed several of Lake County's public officials then.
Van Bokkelen and his first assistant, David Capp, are well-versed in that case and the federal attorney said "this task force is very much modeled after that initiative."
When pressed, Van Bokkelen wouldn't respond as to how many other public officials are now under investigation by the public-corruption task force.
But agents are known to be working in East Chicago, trying to determine the basis for personal concrete and paving work apparently done at taxpayer expense for select residents.
And the Post-Tribune has learned agents were investigating the activities of Calumet Township Trustee Dozier T. Allen, just weeks before he was voted out of office.
But Van Bokkelen wouldn't discuss pending inquiries.
Hall's indictment is the first to come out of a task force formed 18 months ago.
Van Bokkelen said the investigation of Hall started after he read a story in the Post-Tribune, in which some of Hall's employees detailed how they are forced to contribute to her political campaigns or risk disciplinary action or termination.
That led to the empaneling of a grand jury, to which investigators presented boxes of evidence and hours of testimony.
The work was swift, he admitted, and other cases might not wrap up as quickly.
But, Van Bokkelen said, that doesn't mean investigators aren't working on other cases.
"The message in (Hall's) indictment is that no level of public corruption can be tolerated by this office," he said.
Robert Reilley, special agent in charge of the FBI's Indianapolis office, implored members of the public to tip agents to any proof they have of illegal activities being carried out by any of Northwest Indiana's elected officials.
The task force, based in Merrillville, will check out any solid leads, he said.
Hall's employees told their stories of coercion to the Post-Tribune and then told it to the grand jury, leading to the indictment of the Halls.
Katie Hall is charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, three counts of extortion and three counts of mail fraud.
Junifer Hall is charged with the same crimes, along with six counts of perjury.
The charges could mean long prison terms for both.
More important to Van Bokkelen, however, is the message the charges send.
"If we receive allegations of what we consider to be public corruption, we will take it seriously," he said. "Anything that seems to have a basis (of truth) we'll investigate it."
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