UPDATE: A federal judge sentences a former high-ranking Lake County policeman
NWI Times
September 19, 2018
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/update-a-federal-judge-sentences-a-former-high-ranking-lake/article_a1650bc0-e104-5148-9c19-63ffd89933f0.html
HAMMOND — Another former high-ranking Lake County police officer has avoided prison, but not before receiving a corruption-shaming lecture from a judge fed up with official dishonesty.
"What the devil is wrong with you?" U.S. District Court Judge James Moody asked 56-year-old Daniel Murchek before imposing two years probation and a $3,500 fine on him for lying to the FBI.
Murchek became the fifth person convicted in connection with a federal probe of influence peddling within local government over towing contracts.
Although Murchek wasn't linked to towing bribery, he became embroiled in illicit campaign contributions in an aborted effort to run for Lake County sheriff.
His felony conviction ends a career spanning three decades in law enforcement. He joined the Police Explorers, a program affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America as a young man, and worked as a police officer for the towns of Hebron and Dyer before joining the county sheriff's department as a canine handler.
Defense attorney Paul G. Stracci argued on Murchek's behalf, "He was an amazing police officer. He gave tirelessly and heroically to his community. He would help anyone he came across."
When asked to address the court, Murchek read from a prepared statement about how sorry and surprised he was to find himself in this position.
The judge interrupted Murchek repeatedly. "Are you part of that corrupt culture? I want to know what makes people like you tick," Moody said.
Murchek could only offer the excuse of a lapse in his judgment.
Moody said he read a number of letters written in support of Murchek and said, "You totally disappointed everyone."
Moody said he has seen many examples of official misconduct during his nearly 46 years as a judicial officer. "The corruption in his office destroys any integrity of good politicians and officials have in the rest of this state. They think everyone is corrupt. Most citizens feel the way I do," Moody said.
"I've said it before, but they don't listen, they just take the place of those who leave," Moody said, adding he found it all disgusting.
Murchek rose in the ranks of county police to third-in-command as deputy chief of the Lake County Sheriff's Department between 2011 and last fall under former Sheriff John Buncich.
Murchek's downfall involved his run for sheriff, which would have taken place this year. He solicited campaign financial support in fall 2015 from Scott Jurgensen, owner of Samson’s Towing in Merrillville.
Murchek was unaware Jurgensen recorded their conversations and reported them to the FBI. The FBI had enlisted Jurgensen as an undercover informant to uncover bribery among towing firms doing business with area police and politicians.
Murchek explained to Jurgensen how to disguise campaign contributions to him in the name of other people to give more than the maximum limit under the law, a practice the FBI calls a structured donation.
Jurgensen gave Murchek a $1,000 contribution in 2016 in the name of the towing business and another $500 check illegally structured to look like a separate contribution from one of his towing employees. Jurgensen told Murchek he was the source of the money for both checks.
FBI agents then questioned Murchek about whether he received a structured contribution from Jurgensen. He denied it.
The government confronted Murchek with the lie, and Murchek agreed to plead guilty and resigned from the Sheriff's Department one day before a federal grand jury indicted Murchek last April.
Stracci said Wednesday, "Sometimes (Murchek) talks without thinking. Sometimes, Danny doesn't think this through. He was just over his head."
Moody said, "He didn't do it by accident. Maybe he's just full of himself. He tarnished the reputations of good hardworking police officers who put their lives on the line."
The judge said he gave Murchek probation at the recommendation of U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II, who said Murchek deserved a lenient sentence in return for his guilty plea and not forcing the government to take him to trial.
The judge said he believes the public is protected from further crimes by Murchek. A felony conviction virtually forecloses Murchek from a future career in law enforcement or public office.
The judge also imposed six hours of community service a week on Murchek, as a condition of probation. That will increase to 12 hours per week if Murchek is unemployed.
Others who have fallen in the scandal include:
Former Sheriff John Buncich, 72, serving a 188-month prison term, currently at a federal secure medical facility in Springfield, Missouri for his conviction last year to soliciting and receiving bribes from towing firms. He is appealing his conviction.
Timothy Downs, 67, of Monticello, Indiana, the former second-in-command of the Lake County Sheriff's Department, serving two years probation for receiving bribes on behalf of Buncich.
William Szarmach, 61, of Hobart, who owns CSA Towing in Lake Station, serving two years probation for paying Buncich bribes to win the former sheriff's favor and receive more lucrative towing assignments.
Former Merrillville Town Councilman Tom Goralczyk, 51, serving a 15-month sentence at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, for accepting bribes in return for promises of a lucrative contract he made five years ago to an undercover FBI informant.
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