Lake County sheriff's lawyer says there is no smoking gun in federal bribery scandal. He blames corrupt chief deputy
NWI Times
July 19, 2017
HAMMOND — Lake County Sheriff John Buncich's lawyer argues his client was so busy being a honest public servant, he didn't know a corrupt deputy and two tow truck drivers were conspiring against him.
Buncich is awaiting trial Aug. 7 in U.S. District Court on federal charges he solicited and accepted more than $30,000 in illicit payments from towing firms wanting to remove vehicles from public roads for county police. Buncich is pleading not guilty.
Defense attorney Bryan M. Truitt filed a pre-trial document this week declaring, "Sheriff John Buncich maintains he has done nothing wrong. There is little to no direct evidence or a smoking gun."
Truitt said he is unsure what evidence will be presented at trial, which could last two weeks, because "additional witnesses and evidence are being uncovered every day."
Truitt argues the county sheriff has "amazing responsibilities" which include overseeing a county jail with 750 inmates, amid a federal mandate to provide proper health care and other services after several inmates sued the jail under his predecessor, and managing a budget that exceeds $30 million annually.
"The sheriff had so much on his plate between budgetary matters and fixing the jail, due to his predecessor's failings, that tow operations were the least of his concerns," Truitt said. "He, erroneously as it turns out, trusted his deputies to act honestly and competently."
Truitt said Buncich delegated the supervision of towing to Timothy Downs, then the sheriff's police chief and second-in-command.
Downs was charged along with Buncich last November and soon disclosed he was already cooperating with government prosecutors. He has pleaded guilty and will testify he did political fundraising among the tow-truck owners under Buncich's orders.
But Truitt argues Downs conspired with two towing firms, now or soon to be cooperating with the government, to take over Lake County's towing.
Truitt claims government witness Scott Jurgensen, owner of Samson’s Towing of Merrillville, "attempted to corrupt numerous municipal and public officials and was paid $130,000 by the government to attempt to get people to accept bribes."
The U.S. Attorney's office has said Jurgensen deserves credit for uncovering public corruption.
Truitt states, "There simply was no 'pay for play' system in place within the Lake County Sheriff's Department."
Truitt argues other tow truck drivers are expected to testify they were never pressured to buy political fundraising tickets.
Truitt is asking U.S. District Court Judge James T. Moody to reject federal prosecutors' efforts to limit the defense from giving evidence that Buncich has been an honest public servant. The judge has yet to rule on the request.
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