Cantrell pleads not guilty
Political insider's lawyer says he's 'anxious to get to trial and clear his name
Post-Tribune (IN)
April 4, 2007
Political insider Robert Cantrell entered a plea of not guilty Tuesday to fraud and tax evasion charges.
Cantrell was on vacation in Italy when a federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment two weeks ago, and though he appeared in court last week, he did not enter a plea because his attorney, Kevin Milner, was out of town.
Milner insisted there was nothing improper about Cantrell's dealings with Addiction and Family Care, a company owned by his friend, Nancy Fromm, which prosecutors say paid him as much as half the fees collected from contracts won from political figures connected to Cantrell.
"Whatever contact there was between them was completely above-board, at least on Bobby Cantrell's side," Milner said.
Prosecutors allege Cantrell violated state law by not disclosing his financial stake in a contract between the North Township Trustee's Office, where Cantrell was employed, and AFC and did not pay taxes on more than $150,000 he made from the deal from 2000 to 2003.
A week before Cantrell's indictment, Fromm entered a guilty plea to charges of tax fraud and obstruction of justice. Her plea agreement stipulates she will cooperate with federal investigators.
Cantrell, who has had to surrender his passport and is free on a $20,000 unsecured bond, is set to go to trial in front of U.S. District Court Judge Rudy Lozano on June 4.
"(Cantrell) is very anxious to get to trial and clear his name of all this," Milner said.
Caption: Robert Cantrell arrives at the Federal Courthouse in Hammond during a Tuesday morning thunderstorm. Cantrell made his initial court appearance after being indicted on several charges of corruption.(PHOTO) (STEPHANIE DOWELL/POST-TRIBUNE)
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