03172007 - News Article - After Fromm, all eyes on Cantrell - ROBERT CANTRELL

After Fromm, all eyes on Cantrell
NWI Times
Mar 17, 2007
nwitimes.com/news/local/after-fromm-all-eyes-on-cantrell/article_0e091b80-adcd-5975-908b-16e8dcdc4245.html
With government contractor Nancy Fromm working with federal investigators, many eyes in the Northwest Indiana political world have turned to self-described "politico" Robert Cantrell.

Neither Fromm nor prosecutors have made any statements about her case since Fromm pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of obstruction of justice and tax evasion. Under the plea agreement, Fromm could receive a more lenient sentence if she cooperates with authorities.

"Neither of these cases question the quality of the services provided by Nancy and her devoted staff to her clients," defense attorney J. Michael Katz said. "She has always demonstrated the highest level of professionalism in (how) she has counseled and assisted those clients."

Fromm, 66, has been involved in politics her whole life. Although her felony convictions will prevent her from voting, it was not clear how the convictions will affect her job as precinct committeewoman in the Hammond.

Her counseling business, Addiction and Family Care, does business with town, city and state courts across the county as one of the handful of places where criminal defendants can receive court-ordered counseling for addictions and emotional problems.

Although Fromm was the target of a sweeping pay-for-play investigation, she was not charged with influence peddling. She once admitted to being extorted by former Schererville Town Judge Deb Riga.

Fromm employed Cantrell as a consultant who would use his connections in government to generate business for the firm in exchange for per-head "referral fees."

Cantrell has said the fees were legal. His cell phone was not accepting phone calls Friday.

East Chicago City Judge Sonya Morris and Lake Superior Court Judge Jesse Villalpando have both said Cantrell pressured them to order their criminal defendants to attend Fromm's counseling services.

Villalpando said he refused, while Morris uses the company as one of several options offered to offenders.

But some political observers said they did not believe Cantrell was not likely to be indicted for anything blatant.

"The thought that everything he does is illegal, I don't think that's true, or they would have had him a long time ago.