03052009 - News Article - Attorney: Cantrell not cooperating with authorities - ROBERT CANTRELL

Attorney: Cantrell not cooperating with authorities
NWI Times
Mar 5, 2009
nwitimes.com/news/local/attorney-cantrell-not-cooperating-with-authorities/article_5d6836da-61f8-554e-a3de-c5e18d5fa5d0.html

Hammond - Moments after a Hammond federal judge delayed the sentencing of Robert Cantrell, an attorney for the convicted political powerbroker said his client is "absolutely not" cooperating with any federal investigations.

"He is not cooperating with in any federal investigations of any kind, nor state, nor has he ever," defense attorney Kevin Milner said in response to a question from The Times.

Milner answered the question while leaving the Hammond federal courthouse with his client following Thursday's hearing. After hearing arguments from attorneys, U.S. District Court Judge Rudy Lozano decided he needs until March 31 before imposing a sentence.

Cantrell, a former Democratic operative, was convicted on June 6 of 11 federal counts involving kickbacks and fraud. Cantrell, 66, of Schererville, was charged with four counts of depriving the public of honest services, three counts of insurance fraud using the U.S. mail and four counts of filing false income tax returns between 2000 and 2003.

Federal authorities have said Cantrell took kickbacks linked to a contract between his then-employer, the North Township trustee's office, and his political ally, Nancy Fromm, who ran an addiction counseling service.

Cantrell did not take the stand in his own defense.

Before Thursday's hearing, attorneys for Cantrell had filed six motions that pushed back court proceedings after June 6, the day a jury convicted the East Chicago-based Democratic operative of 11 counts involving kickbacks and fraud. No new motions were filed this week in the federal courts online database.

Between June and October, Milner filed four successful motions for more time to seek a new trial. Milner moved for a new trial in October, claiming no witness ever formally identified Cantrell during his trial. Judge Rudy Lozano rejected that argument.

It is unclear how much prison time Cantrell might face. His sentence will depend on sentencing guidelines, arguments by the prosecution and defense and a pre-sentence report from probation officials. That report remained confidential before the hearing.