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Press Release

Calumet Township Level II Assessor, Pamela Frizzelle, Sentenced

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Indiana

HAMMOND- United States Attorney David A. Capp announced today that Pamela Griffin Frizzelle, 54, of Merrillville, Indiana was sentenced before Chief Judge Philip Simon for three counts of Hobbs Act Extortion.

Frizzelle was sentenced to 12 months’ and 1-day imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution to the Lake County Assessor’s Office in the amount $7,128.         

According to documents filed in the case, Frizzelle, an employee of the Calumet Township Assessor’s Office, solicited money from business owners in exchange for reducing or attempting to reduce tax assessments for personal and real property.  Frizzelle pled guilty to three counts and admitted to receiving cash from owners including $800 to assist a laundry mat owner illegally obtain a refund for prior years.  Frizzelle backdated documents and convinced her supervisors that the appeal was legitimate, which resulted in a refund of more than $7,000.  Frizzelle also accepted money from other business owners in exchange for promises to reduce owed taxes. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gary T. Bell.

 

 

 

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Updated December 2, 2016

Topic
Public Corruption