EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) - A former southern Illinois mayor has pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about referral commissions he received on city contracts.
Kevin Hutchinson, 56, of Columbia is due to be sentenced Jun 28 after entering the plea Monday in U.S. District Court.
Hutchinson had been charged with one felony count of making a false statement to the federal Southern Illinois Public Corruption Task Force. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.
Hutchinson resigned as mayor following his indictment by a federal grand jury. He was in his fourth term.
The indictment describes Hutchinson as a licensed insurance agent who owned a closely held Illinois corporation called BMC Associates, Inc. It said the Columbia city government provides health-insurance coverage for employees and contracts for property/casualty loss insurance.
Hutchinson and his company received referral commissions from the insurance contracts that the city placed with two other companies, the indictment said. The city council and city manager were unaware of the commissions.
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