CRESTWOOD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO)-- The mayor of Crestwood will reportedly resign tonight ahead of an expected guilty plea to federal bribery charges and will be given a new job with the village.
Mayor Lou Presta, 71, who is expected to plead guilty to federal charges that he accepted a bribe would have to resign upon conviction. The Daily Southtown reports that he will resign during a village board meeting and the trustees are creating a new position for him, economic development director at the same $65,000 dollar salary.
Presta is accused of accepting a $5,000 bribe from the red light camera company Safespeed. In an indictment filed last summer, federal prosecutors said Presta sought and received benefits from SafeSpeed representatives while the company intended to expand its services in Crestwood, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
Despite the indictment, he easily won re-election. Presta was charged with bribery, lying to the FBI and the IRS and filing false income tax returns. He is expected to plead guilty later this month.
Presta was first elected mayor in 2013 after serving as a village trustee for about 20 years. The village board will meet Thursday tonight.
Related
