07062020 - News Article - Snyder friend fined $12,000 in case that took down mayor

Snyder friend fined $12,000 in case that took down mayor

NWI Times

Jul 6, 2020

https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/snyder-friend-fined-12-000-in-case-that-took-down-mayor/article_c7c0c82b-5714-5594-af6a-7e46e511f956.html#tracking-source=article-related-bottom

HAMMOND — A political supporter and co-defendant of former Portage Mayor James Snyder has gotten off with only a fine for bribery.

U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen imposed a $12,000 fine Wednesday afternoon on 80-year-old John Cortina.

The judge, who gave Cortina credit for having already served one day in jail, chose not to impose an additional period of jail or probation, although federal sentencing guidelines would have justified that.

Cortina, who has run the Kustom Auto Body in Portage for decades, pleaded guilty a year ago to paying what he claimed was a bribe of thousands of dollars in January 2016 to Snyder to win a towing contract with the city of Portage.

A federal grand jury indicted Cortina and Snyder in 2016 on a felony bribery count alleging Cortina made the payment to get on the city's list of towing vendors. Cortina and an FBI undercover informant supplied the money.

The case went to trial last year, and a jury acquitted Snyder of soliciting Cortina's alleged bribe.

Witness and lawyers for Snyder told jurors the $12,000 was a legitimate political contribution and Cortina always was eager to donate money and services to the city.

The same jury did find Snyder guilty of taking a $13,000 bribe from a Portage truck firm seeking city business. The jury also found Snyder guilty of evading federal taxes due by the former mayor's private business.

Van Bokkelen, who had presided over the case from the beginning, sounded relieved that Cortina's sentencing was the last act he would perform in it.

"I can't think of another case where more has gone wrong," Van Bokkelen said.

Snyder's trial was preceded by months of contentious arguments between Snyder's defense team and federal prosecutors on whether federal investigators violated Snyder's rights by tapping into email traffic between Snyder, his former defense attorney and others.

Snyder defense team then pursued an aggressive campaign to overturn the guilty verdicts on the remaining bribery and tax counts, claiming there wasn't enough evidence for the jury to convict and prosecutorial misconduct denied Snyder the right to a fair trial.

Van Bokkelen last November overturned the bribery verdict on the $13,000 payment and ordered a new trial for Snyder, citing irregularities by the federal prosecutors.

Van Bokkelen then bowed out of Snyder's case, which is now being overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Theresa Springmann.

Snyder attorneys have been seeking dismissal of that bribery charge and acquittal of tax evasion allegations against Snyder.

Springmann denied their request earlier this week. Federal prosecutors have asked for some time to reconsider whether to proceed further with the bribery count or dismiss it.