Guilty Pleas Entered by Former Assistant to Mayor of Village of Washington Park

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on May 21, 2009, LINDA CONNOR, age 54, of Belleville, Illinois, entered pleas of guilty to a two-count Indictment charging her with Filing a False Federal Income Tax Return and Misapplication of Property Under the Care, Custody and Control of Washington Park, A Local Government That Receives Federal Funds. The charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of up to thirteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, three years supervised release and mandatory restitution. Sentencing has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2009.

As part of the plea, LINDA CONNOR admitted that as the Mayor’s Assistant for the Village of Washington Park from April 2005 through 2007 that she embezzled and intentionally misapplied property valued at more than $300,000. The money that was embezzled caused employee’s pension funds to be underfunded. LINDA CONNOR further admitted that she filed a false 2006 federal income tax return which understated her taxable income by approximately $190,000.

The investigation of the case was handled by the Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor/Office of Labor Racketeering. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.

If you come across evidence of public corruption activities please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (877) U-TIP-OFF.