Does This Look Like The Face Of A 79 Year-Old Tow Truck Owner From Northwest Indiana That Got Caught In The Middle Of An FBI Sting Operation?
NWI TIMES - After years of working on his campaign and playing chauffeur for Portage Mayor James Snyder, John Cortina only could get on the city’s tow list after he paid Snyder a $12,000 bribe. Cortina, 79, pleaded guilty Friday morning to one count of bribery in Snyder’s public corruption case. The plea agreement comes three days before the public corruption trial begins.
The trial, now just against Snyder and with Cortina as a cooperating witness, will start Monday morning as planned. Cortina admitted to giving Snyder two checks totaling $12,000 in return for being put on the city’s tow list. Answering most questions with a “yes,” “yes, sir” or “I understand,” Cortina, owner of Kustom Auto Body, laid out the scenario that led to paying the bribe. Cortina told the court he had known Snyder for several years and assisted in his campaign for mayor, including driving him around and attending fundraisers. Cortina had requested consideration from Snyder several times between November 2015 and December 2016 to be placed on the tow list. Each time Snyder brushed him off and avoided giving Cortina an answer.
Cortina stated he continued being friendly with Snyder because he wanted to do business with the city.It was only when Snyder told Cortina he needed $12,000 to help pay his legal bills, and Cortina delivered the money, that he was put on the tow list, according to testimony. Cortina worked with Scott Jurgenson, owner of Sampson Towing, to secure the lucrative job. Unknown to Cortina, Jurgenson was working with the FBI investigating public corruption in municipal towing contracts at the time. Jurgenson agreed to front Cortina half of what Cortina referred to as “juice money” in undercover tape recordings. Cortina “perceived it to be a bribe,” prosecutors said, adding when Cortina had the two checks in hand, he called Snyder and told him it was “Christmas.”
Who knew municipal towing contracts generated enough corruption to warrant their own FBI special investigation? Like Chicago is literally right. here. The FBI could be investigating literally fucking ANYTHING within city limits. It could be a smorgasbord of investigations. The Old Country Buffet of corruption. FBI Special Agents would be overdosing on justice like a TNT Law & Order marathon after a long night on Division Street. YOU WANT IT WE GOT IT. That’s Chicago’s motto when it comes to corruption. There is nothing we won’t corrupt, extort, bribe, etc. And *allegedly* it’s all here for the taking.
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Instead, the FBI would rather canvas Northwest Indiana with towing surveillance initiatives. Put John Cortina and his handcrafted mullet rug in their crosshairs. Cripple small business and some non violent HUSTLE for no other reason than prejudice against guys who sling big time dick pipe like my guy JC. Get another good look at this snatch magnet
John Cortina, proud owner of a Wooden Dick
Not to be a big conspiracy theory guy (I’m a huge conspiracy theory guy) but something is seriously off on this case. Like 12 thousand dollars does not move the needle for the Federal Bureau of Investigations. That’s a drop in the bucket. There has to be something bigger here. I don’t know what it is and I don’t want to speculate my way into a wiretap. But I smell some stink and it’s all over this federal investigation. Then again that stink could just be John Cortina’s 44 year old mullet. Either way it stinks.
PS – Where my Region Rats at?