Bruce Snyder, writes to U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen, telling him his son is a "good man."... I ask that you have mercy on him. His life is in near ruins ... He is not, nor will he ever be, a detriment to society ... James is a good man ... he has done nothing wrong ... I believe the prosecution did not prove him to be guilty of anything ... We taught them to work hard and be honest. Until this episode evidence pointed to the fact that we were successful in doing just that... [Convicted mayor's father pleads for mercy: 'He has done nothing wrong'. NWI Times. 02222019]
Dear Bruce Snyder,
I am but just one of the victims of your son, former Portage Mayor James Snyder. My name is Renee' Harrington - I was a former resident of Portage Indiana/Porter County between 2000-2017.
In 2010, while enduring a divorce from hell before Porter County Superior Court Magistrate James Johnson, I noticed that he was not abiding by Indiana court rules and state laws. I reported Johnson's failure to issue final divorce property settlements to the Indiana Judiciary Commission. The Commission responded immediately and discovered that Johnson had failed to issue final property settlements in over 100 divorce cases. Johnson was temporarily removed from the bench while the Commission continued its investigation.
During this ongoing investigation I supplied the Commission with court documents and transcripts of Johnson failing to uphold personal protective orders and domestic violence arrest warrants. I also turned over to the Commission documentation of Johnson not adhering to Indiana court rules regarding disclosure of marital assets, which resulted in parties being able to hide marital assets. In my case, my ex-husband - James Clarence Thomas - was hiding an estimated $1 million in marital assets.
Because of me stepping forward and doing what I was morally obligated to do, the Commission was considering permanently removing Magistrate Johnson from the bench. However, two days after the Commission held this hearing, officers from the Portage police department unlawfully entered the marital home where I was residing and I was literally thrown out onto the street without a penny of the marital assets. Tragically, my companion dog - Bailey Su - and my rescue dog - Abbi Mae - were turned over to my ex-husband, who later had them killed.
During this unlawful police entry into my home, police officers were talking on their radios about the large amount of funds my ex-husband had. These radio communications about the hidden marital assets were heard not only by Portage police officers, but officers from other departments and citizens in the area with police scanners.
AND, THIS IS WHERE YOUR SON JAMES SNYDER BECAME INVOLVED.
Two days afterwards my ex-husband's realtor - Jim Johnson - a good friend of your son, James Snyder - steered my ex to James Snyder. Instead of your son doing the right thing, he assisted my ex in hiding almost $1,000,000 in marital assets.
In 2012, I contacted Portage city officials and requested an investigation of the unlawful police entry and the killing of my precious furbabies. YOUR SON - MAYOR JAMES SNYDER - instructed city officials to ignore my request. YOUR SON - MAYOR JAMES SNYDER - prevented an investigation into my case.
To date, Bruce Snyder, there has never been any justice for what I endured. There have never been any answers for the unlawful police entry and there have never been any criminal charges filed for the killing of my beloved furbabies - BECAUSE OF YOUR SON - MAYOR JAMES SNYDER.
And, because of actions taken by YOUR SON - MAYOR JAMES SNYDER - I have never seen a penny of the marital assets that I was owed and which your son is believed to have hidden for my ex-husband.
But yet, Bruce Snyder, you state that your son's life is now in ruins because he was finally held accountable for just some of the crimes he has committed?
No, Bruce Snyder, your son left my life in ruins. Despite what you want others to believe, your son is a detriment to society; he is not a good man; and he has done more wrongs than he was convicted of. He was able to get away with his actions because city, county, and state officials in Indiana looked the other way and not because he was a good man or did nothing wrong.
It took the FBI to take your son down on federal charges - and for that I applaud the FBI.
Bruce Snyder, I have no sympathy for you or your son - James Snyder. As a matter of fact, I cheered when I heard the federal guilty verdict. The thought of your son sitting in a federal prison is justice for the role he played and the cover-up of the deaths of Abbi and Bailey - and it is worth every dollar he in essence stole from me by hiding my marital assets.
Renee' Harrington
Convicted mayor's father pleads for mercy: 'He has done nothing wrong'
NWI Times
February 22. 2019
HAMMOND — The father of convicted former Portage Mayor James Snyder is asking the court to "have mercy on him."
In a letter filed with U.S. District Court Thursday, Bruce Snyder, writes to U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen, telling him his son is a "good man."
James Snyder was convicted Feb. 14 on felony counts of bribery and tax obstruction following a 19-day trial in federal court. The two-term mayor was acquitted on a second count of bribery. He is awaiting sentencing on May 24
"On behalf of his mother, his wife and four wonderful children, I ask that you have mercy on him. His life is in near ruins and he has already learned any lessons to be learned. He is not, nor will he ever be, a detriment to society," Bruce Snyder writes to the judge.
"James is a good man. He's a loving father of four and has a wonderful wife. I believe with all my heart, in spite of the verdict, that he has done nothing wrong. I was at the trial every day and I believe the prosecution did not prove him to be guilty of anything," Snyder wrote.
In the letter Snyder said he and his wife, Sandi, did their best to raise their children in a "good Christian home" and to make them contributors to society.
"We taught them to work hard and be honest. Until this episode evidence pointed to the fact that we were successful in doing just that," Snyder wrote.
Bruce Snyder writes of his oldest son who served in the military and is the general manager at a large corporation and of James Snyder's youngest sister, who teaches in high school and college.
He does not mention his other son, Porter County Assessor Jon Snyder, who worked as an undercover informant for the FBI during the investigation into James Snyder and others. Jon Snyder wore a wire for the FBI, secretly taping conversations with his brother, former co-defendant John Cortina and others.
Jon Snyder pleaded guilty to misdemeanor federal tax charges and is scheduled to be sentenced April 30.
Cortina pleaded guilty to paying James Snyder a $12,000 bribe in a pay for towing scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced April 22. James Snyder was acquitted on that count.
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