Former Harvey police Officer Derrick Muhammad – brother of former mayor – charged with extorting towing companies
HARVEY, Ill. (CBS) -- A former Harvey police officer was the prime suspect in a pay-to-play scheme in the south suburb, and is not the first time he has been trouble with the law.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported Thursday night, the officer, Derrick Muhammad, happens to be the brother of former Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg.
Late Thursday night, all was quiet at Harvey City Hall. But federal prosecutors keep shining light on what the Kellogg administration did there.
Muhammad, 73 – who went by "Rick" – was a Harvey police officer from 2011 to 2019 and oversaw the Harvey police Traffic Division, according to federal prosecutors. In his role, Muhammad "exercised discretionary authority to assign City of Harvey towing work to local private towing companies," prosecutors said.
Muhammad is accused of shaking down tow companies along with a second unspecified person. The indictment said Muhammad "obtained cash payments and other things of value from private towing companies on the understanding that the private towing companies were paying Muhammad and Individual A."
If the companies did not pay up, there was an understanding that Muhammad would interfere with their ability to compete for city business, prosecutors said.
The feds alleged this went on for years.
Muhammad has been in trouble with the law before. Along with fellow Harvey police Officer Derrick Moore, he was charged in 2019 with obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Prosecutors said they falsified a police report to protect two acquaintances – a father and son – from possible gun charges of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Muhammad pleaded guilty to the charges the following year.
Now, nearly three years after Muhammad was snagged in that raid by federal agents at Harvey City Hall, the corruption continues to unravel.
Also charged in 2019 were another of Kellogg's brothers - Rommell Kellogg – and a second man – Corey Johnson – who were arrested for extorting payment from a strip club. They looked the other way at prostitution for a cash payment.
The indictment against Muhammad does not name former Mayor Kellogg. While many in his inner circle and family have been charged by the feds, Kellogg himself has never been charged with a crime.
It is unclear if that might change.