Madison County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Extortion Under Color of Official Right for Aiding and Abetting Former Deputy Liquor Commissioner of East St. Louis

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on April 15, 2011, Albert C. Thompson, 31, of Edwardsville, Illinois, entered a plea of guilty to an indictment charging attempted extortion under color of official right, aided and abetted by the former deputy liquor commissioner of East St. Louis.

USA Wigginton noted that, “Violation of public corruption laws is a violation of the public trust. My office will continue to seek out and punish anyone who would violate that trust.”

The violation took place from July, 2008, through September, 2008, in St. Clair County, Illinois. As part of the plea, Thompson admitted that he assisted the Deputy Liquor Commissioner in extorting money from a person operating a convenience/liquor store in East St. Louis and that $5,000 cash had to be paid in order to permit the business to continue to operate. The charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, three years’ supervised release, and mandatory restitution. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 29, 2011.

The investigation of the case was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Norman R. Smith and Steven Weinhoeft.

If anyone has evidence of public corruption activities, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (877) U-TIP-OFF.