Former Alorton Mayor Jo Ann Reed, ousted from office over alleged malfeasance, was indicted this week, accused of buying votes and disregarding the election code.
She was charged alongside a large group of officials and other local-level government staffers who were caught in “Operation Watchtower,” a combined effort between St. Clair County law enforcement officials and the feds, according to St. Louis’ KMOV-TV website. The law enforcement effort aims to “clean up and clear out suspected corruption” in local government.
“These allegations represent a very old and cynical way of thinking,” St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly said at a news conference, indicating that the mindset of corrupt thinking landed the entire group of officials on a host of allegations, from “vote buying” and bribery to forgery and misuse of public funds.
Kelly said he previously requested that officials revive the state police department’s public integrity unit, but that effort was unsuccessful. Thus, prosecutors resorted to working with federal agents and the local sheriff.
“I don’t think it’s a state secret to say that Illinois has had problems with folks in public office, all the way up to the Governor’s Mansion, who have had problems upholding the law," Kelly said at the news conference, referring to the fact that four of the last eight governors of Illinois have gone to prison.
Kelly stated that of those indicted this week, it is unlikely that any will serve any actual jail time, but they could well face the loss of their respective jobs if convicted — just as Reed did when she pleaded guilty in 2014 to smuggling a cell phone into jail to her incarcerated niece, Jennifer Harris, of Belleville.
Serving at the time as both mayor and village clerk, Reed was forced to give up both positions.
Reed is not the first Alorton civic leader to get in trouble; five other local officials were brought up on state charges between 2011 and 2014. In 2013, former police officer Harry Halter was charged with misconduct in a sweep of the Metro East region that also turned up Reed’s name.
Court documents indicate that Reed allegedly purchased votes, deliberately paid or promising cash for securing votes for specific candidates or ballot initiatives, and knowingly electioneered, i.e. solicited votes or engaged in political discussion within 100 feet of a polling place. Vote buying is classified as a felony, and electioneering is a misdemeanor. Reed’s bail was set at $10,000.
Additional officials and staffers indicted included St. Clair County Board of Review member Michael Crockett Jr., who is charged with bribery, forgery, misconduct, exploiting his public position for personal advantage and failing to report a bribe.
East St. Louis City Councilwoman June Hamilton Dean, 53, also a contractor for East St. Louis Township, is charged with forgery and misconduct as a public contractor. She is the sister of East St. Louis Township supervisor Oliver Hamilton, 62, also charged with federal corruption.
Making matters worse, Kelly said, is that both Hamiltons were paid partially from grant funds. Kelly called their actions “infuriating to all who care about the community of East St. Louis and who are greatly concerned about genuinely stopping violence” there.
Reashaunta Lacy, allegedly using documents forged by June Hamilton Dean, is charged with providing false information to a realty company in Swansea. Anthony Davis, an auxiliary police officer for the City of Washington Park, is charged with giving false information to a state trooper after a traffic accident to obscure the investigation.
Additional East St. Louis Township officials collared in the action were trustee Edith Moore, charged with forgery and prevention of voting or candidate support, and board member Michael Roberts, 70, charged with misconduct after taking off for Las Vegas with yet another local public figure — East St. Louis Township Supervisor Oliver Hamilton — who said the trip was “to attend a hydroponic seminar,” the Belleville News- Democrat said.
Also in East St. Louis, police officer Teanna Gillespie faces charges of violating firearm possession laws after a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun was found to be in her possession illegally, as she had been a patient in a mental institution within the past five years, in violation of state law.
Finally, USPS employee Christopher Malone was charged with theft of government property and cash from a total of eight post office locations, five of them in East St. Louis in St. Clair County.
“People’s trust in our public institutions has frayed,” Kelly said. “Our best hope has been and still is in the law."
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