05292019 - News Article - Minimum sentence' sought for Porter County assessor

Minimum sentence' sought for Porter County assessor
Chicago Tribune
May 29, 2019
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/ct-ptb-jon-snyder-sentencing-memos-st-0529-story.html

Federal prosecutors and the defense agree the Porter County Assessor, who was charged for failing to report information to the IRS, should get a minimum sentence.

Jon Snyder, 42, has pleaded guilty to failing to supply information to the IRS, a misdemeanor charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Benson said a judge should give Snyder “the minimum sentence” and defense attorney Matthew Fech is asking for a six-month term of probation.

Snyder, as owner of Shoreline Appraisals Inc., allegedly failed to give the IRS an “Informational Return 1099 Form, which is a requirement for non-employees who received more than $600 in payments during a calendar year, according to court documents.

Snyder and Shoreline Appraisals allegedly failed to file the document for “Person A,” who was paid more than $5,000 in 2013, according to court documents.

“Should the court impose the sentence as suggested by the defendant, this would allow him to continue to serve the citizens of Porter County, run his business and continue to provide from him, his wife and 10 children,” Fech said, in court filings.

Pleading guilty to a misdemeanor would not require Snyder to resign from office, according to state law.

As part of the plea agreement, Snyder agreed to testify against his brother, former Portage Mayor James Snyder, in his public corruption trial.

“Jon Snyder’s cooperation included not only making numerous recordings of John Cortina and his co-defendant, James Snyder, relating to bribery allegations, but the cooperation also included testifying in the trial of James Snyder,” Benson said, in court filings. “In addition to the above cooperation, Jon Snyder also provided helpful information in other criminal investigations.”

Snyder was convicted of after a 15-day trial earlier this year.

In February, a federal jury convicted James Snyder of bribery and obstructing the IRS, bringing an end to his 19-day trial. Snyder was convicted of taking a $13,000 bribe in exchange for contracts to sell five garbage trucks to the city, and using a shell company to hide income and assets from the IRS while owning back personal and business taxes.

James Snyder was found not guilty of allegedly soliciting a bribe, purported to be a loan to his campaign, in exchange to get John Cortina, of Kustom Auto Body in Portage, and “Individual A,” who was cooperating with the FBI, on the city’s tow list.

During the trial, Jon Snyder said that Cortina, who he described as a long-time friend, began talking to him about getting on the city towing list.

“I just didn’t like it,” Jon Snyder said, when he testified in January. “I tried to tell him to stop talking about it.”

Jon Snyder, who was already under federal investigation related to his personal business, said he didn’t want to get involved in any towing business and went to the FBI.

“I had enough going on in my life, I didn’t need another investigation,” Jon Snyder said, during court testimony.