Bribery Scheme Indictment for Crestwood Mayor

A grand jury has indicted the mayor of Crestwood for using an interstate facility in aid of bribery, and lying to federal law enforcement about his request and receipt of benefits from a representative of a red-light camera company that provided services to the southwest suburb.

69-year old Louis Presta of Crestwood is charged to the following:

• Three counts of using a facility in interstate commerce in aid of bribery and official misconduct
• Two counts of willfully filing a false income tax return
• One count of willfully failing to file an income tax return
• And one count of making false statements to the FBI and IRS

On Thursday, the indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled. John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago announced the indictment.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Stetler and James P. Durkin are representing the government. According to the indictment, Crestwood was provided camera services by the red-light camera company that enabled the municipality to issue tickets to motorists for certain traffic violations. The indictment states during that time and while the company was attempting to provide additional such services to Crestwood, Presta had asked for and accepted benefits from representatives of the company.

In September 2019 interview with FBI and IRS, Presta denied receiving gifts, cash, or campaign contributions from the red-light camera company. The indictment states that Presta was shown a recording of March 7, 2018 meeting in which he allegedly accepted from the company representative an envelope containing $5,000 in cash, Presta falsely denied there was no money in the envelope.