Former Ford Heights pocketbook Charles Griffin was sentenced to 4 years in jail and fined $50,000 for stealing tens of hundreds of {dollars} from taxpayers he served, a Cook County choose dominated Friday.
Griffin, 69, was convicted in September of embezzling between $10,000 and $100,000 of public funds for private use each throughout and after his first time period as mayor of the small, impoverished village of Ford Heights.
The federal indictment got here after Griffin’s successor, Annie Coulter, who served in 2017 till Griffin was elected to a second time period in 2021, discovered secret financial institution accounts tied to Griffin holding $147,000 in public funds. Prosecutors stated Griffin used these accounts to pay for items and companies that benefited himself and people near him, spending hundreds at locations like Walmart, Home Depot, Menards, LA Fitness and numerous eating places.
Griffin was compelled to resign as a result of felony conviction, resulting in the appointment of Freddie Wilson as mayor interim. Wilson is searching for to carry the mayor’s seat on this spring’s election, with Coulter considered one of his 4 challengers.
Griffin’s lawyer, Phillip Turner, pleaded with Judge Obit on Friday to rethink the proof within the case and permit a brand new trial, after which for a no-prison sentence.
“Probation — that is greater than sufficient,” Turner stated. “There was a number of publicity about this. It actually felt shameful and embarrassing. “
Turner stated letters of help from group members and others near Griffin present the previous mayor’s good character and that he by no means meant to steal cash from taxpayers. He stated regardless of the prison conviction, as Mayor Griffin has labored to extend financial growth and in any other case assist residents.
Obsh acknowledged that Griffin was an “atypical” case in his courtroom, as somebody with a excessive stage of training and no prior prison document. However, he sided with state attorneys, Griffin’s authorities ought to serve time in jail for betraying the belief of its former constituents.
“Placing Mr. Griffin on probation would have deprecated the severity (of the crime),” Obite stated, including that he hopes Griffin’s sentence will function a deterrent, stopping others from “dipping into public funds, taking greater than their paycheck.” .
Hearing he could be sentenced to 4 years within the Illinois Department of Corrections, Griffin dropped his fingers from his face on the desk in entrance of him and checked out his seated family and friends, shaking his head desperately.
Turner stated he’ll file a movement to rethink the sentence, which will likely be heard at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 on the courthouse, 2650 South California Avenue, Chicago. Griffin is anticipated to be taken into custody at the moment, prosecutors stated.
Turner maintains Griffin’s innocence, saying he “did nothing improper” and the proof introduced by prosecutors at trial was not sufficient to convict Griffin of the Class 2 felony. He stated he’ll proceed to characterize Griffin as he seeks an enchantment .
“I do know there’s a number of stuff floating round about public officers, significantly mayors within the south suburbs,” Turner stated. “But he is not a type of folks.”
Ostevens@chicagotribune.com
