Northwestern Indiana mayor, wife convicted of all charges
WHIO News
Sept. 12, 2015
HAMMOND, Ind. — A federal jury has convicted a northwestern Indiana mayor and his wife of wire fraud and other charges for improperly using food pantry and campaign funds.
The jury deliberated for five hours Friday before finding Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquist and his wife, Deborah Soderquist, guilty of conspiracy, seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of filing false income tax returns.
Assistant U.S. attorneys Joshua Kolar and Philip Benson argued in closing statements that Soderquist and his wife lied to campaign donors and the Lake Station Food Pantry when they used those funds to pay for more than 50 gambling trips they took from 2010 through 2012. They also failed to report that money as income on their income tax returns.
"The evidence shows you are a thief, Mr. Soderquist," Benson said.
Prosecutors said the couple lost more than $100,000 gambling between 2009 and 2012.
Soderquist testified that the withdrawals from his campaign fund were for expenses included paying poll workers, phone bills and mileage during his mayoral or city council campaigns going back to 1999. He said he meant to amend his campaign reports to include the expenses but procrastinated.
"That was the convenient way to take cash out of the committee to pay me back for my expenses," he said.
After the verdicts were read, the couple made no public statements but their attorney spoke to reporters.
"We're very disappointed," attorney Scott King said. He said he plans to seek a new trial.
Deborah Soderquist was her husband's administrative assistant and was allegedly involved in the operation of the food pantry. She also served as treasurer of her husband's election campaign committee.
Judge Rudy Lozano set a Dec. 15 sentencing hearing for the Soderquists.
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