Man Convicted of Obtaining Money by Threat From Strip Club in Chicago Suburb

CHICAGO — A man has been convicted in federal court of obtaining money by threat from a strip club in a Chicago suburb.

ROMMELL KELLOGG, 71, of Harvey, Ill., was convicted Monday on all five counts against him, including conspiracy to commit theft and intimidation and causing the use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote theft and intimidation.  The jury returned its verdicts after a week-long trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. 

Each count of conviction is punishable by up to five years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not immediately set a sentencing date.

Evidence presented at trial revealed that Kellogg and a co-conspirator, COREY JOHNSON, 68, of Dolton, Ill., are cousins whose relatives served in high-ranking positions in Harvey government.  From 2003 to 2018, Kellogg and Johnson conspired to regularly demand and collect payments from a Harvey strip club based on threats that the city of Harvey would potentially interfere with the club’s operations if the payments were not made.  In exchange for the payments, the business was allowed to continue to operate, even though the conspirators and others knew that acts of prostitution were occurring onsite.

Johnson served as a bagman in the conspiracy, receiving bi-weekly $3,000 payments from the business and delivering the money to Kellogg.  Johnson pleaded guilty to a theft charge prior to trial.  He is awaiting sentencing.

The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; and Thomas J. Dart, Cook County Sheriff.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Franzblau and Megan DeMarco.