NW Indiana mayor pleads not guilty to charges
Associated Press State Wire: Indiana (IN)
April 17, 2014
HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) — A northwestern Indiana mayor , his wife and stepdaughter have pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges.
Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquist and the others entered the pleas during a federal court hearing Thursday in Hammond, a day after prosecutors announced the grand jury indictment against them.
Defense attorney Scott King says the Soderquists have been cooperating with federal agents for more than a year and that they disagree with investigators' interpretation of events.
The indictment charges the couple made withdrawals totaling at least $18,500 from the mayor 's campaign account before casino trips. Another charge is that they took $300 from a city food pantry bank account.
The couple also is charged with helping the mayor 's stepdaughter hide the theft of at least $5,000 from the city just east of Gary.
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