Justice Served: Corrupt Lake county city councilors and attorney headed to federal prison

We hear rumors often of a federal investigation here in Indianapolis of our own crop of immoral government thieves. Justice was served in Gary with stiff sentences given to two of their city councilors and a Gary attorney. Let's hope the feds are looking into the dirty water deal that Bart and Burt hatched behind closed doors. We also hope they are looking closely at Monroe Gray and Aaron Haith, our local duo of corruption. Below is news of the sentences handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon blogged by our friends at Team Hammond Taxpayers' Group in Lake county. BRAVO FEDS, BRAVO!


Willie Harris, former Gary attorney, was sentenced to 55 months in prison, nearly the maximum sentenced recommended. Harris, along with former County Councilman Will Smith, Jr. and Roosevelt Powell, was convicted last September of tax fraud and skimming $50,000 from the profits of a secret real estate deal between the corrupt Gary Urban Enterprise Association and the Gary Historical and Cultural Society.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon handed down the stiff sentence. Judge Simon ruled Harris not only betrayed the legal profession, but he also betrayed the Lake County taxpayers. Harris will serve out his sentence at the federal work camp in Oxford, Wisconsin.

Last week, former Lake County tax collector, Roosevelt Powell, received a sentence of 37 months. Will Smith Jr. will be sentenced on January 18. Given the fact that Smith was not only a county councilman but council president as well, it is very possible that Judge Simon will also impose a harsh sentence on Smith. If he does, may it serve as a reminder and a deterrent to all elected officials in Lake County that this kind of unlawful behavior will NO longer be tolerated.