Two Relatives Of Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg, Two Police Officers, Two Others Charged In Federal Probe
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Federal authorities have charged two relatives of Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg, two Harvey police officers, and two others in three separate criminal cases on Wednesday, hours after FBI agents raided the Harvey Police Department, and an office at the south suburban city hall.
Federal prosecutors said the defendants include 66-year-old Rommell Kellogg, the mayor's brother, and 63-year-old Corey Johnson, a cousin of the mayor.
Rommell Kellogg and Corey Johnson both are charged with conspiracy to commit extortion. Prosecutors said the two conspired to extort payments from a strip club owner from 2012 through 2016, threatening the city would shut down the club if they weren't paid. In exchange for the payments, city officials allegedly allowed the club to operate, "knowing acts of prostitution were occurring onsite."
Also charged were Harvey police officers Derrick Muhammad and Derrick Moore, who both are charged 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.
FBI agents raided the Harvey Police Department on Wednesday morning, hours before the charges were announced.
Agents also later were seen inside a Planning and Development office at Harvey City Hall.
The final two defendants charged in the investigation were 55-year-old Donald Luster and 56-year-old Will Wiley. The two were charged with conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. Prosecutors said Luster, a private consultant for the city, agreed in November 2017 to solicit bribes from a towing company owner in exchange for a lease on a parcel of land owned by the city of Harvey.
The towing company owner was working with the feds, and had agreed to record his conversations with Luster and Wiley. Federal prosecutors said he paid a $5,000 cash bribe to Wiley in December 2017. afterward, a Harvey city employee provided the company owner access to the parcel of land. A month later, the towing company owner allegedly paid a $7,000 cash bribe to Luster.
Several of the defendants were due in court Wednesday afternoon.
Mayor Kellogg was not charged in the case. He released a statement Wednesday morning:
"This morning the Federal Investigators entered the Harvey Police Department. I have informed the Chief of Police to cooperate fully with the investigators. Given that there is an apparent ongoing investigation, the administration WILL refrain from making any further comment," Kellogg stated.
"It's the usual way of the United States attorney to start with people at the bottom, and then work upward through their cooperation agreements to get to people they think are more responsible," Attorney for Moore, Ronald Clark stated.
