RIVERDALE, Ill. – The mayor of Riverdale, a suburb south of Chicago, has been found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice, according to the Department of Justice, as reported by ABC7.
Lawrence Jackson, the 49-year-old mayor, was accused of giving false testimony during a deposition related to a 2018 civil lawsuit. This suit was initiated by a waste management company against both Jackson and the city of Riverdale, as detailed in the indictment.
The lawsuit, filed by Tri-State Disposal Inc., claimed that Jackson retaliated against the company by choosing not to renew its garbage collection contract. Instead, the city issued a zoning permit allowing a different waste management firm to operate. It was alleged that Jackson favored this new company due to a personal connection with its owner.
The federal indictment contends that Jackson deliberately provided false statements while under oath during a 2021 deposition with an attorney representing Tri-State Disposal, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
Jackson reportedly asserted that he was unfamiliar with the owner of the alternative waste management company, claiming their introduction came through the Riverdale village administrator.
However, a federal investigation revealed that Jackson indeed had a prior relationship with the company’s owner, including exchanging text messages during the deposition process, as noted in the indictment.
The indictment also stated that Jackson and his wife owned a trucking company, Centennial Holdings, and the owner of the garbage collection company had prior involvement in its operations.
On Wednesday, a jury found Jackson guilty of both coounts.
The obstruction of justice charge has a maximum sentence of 20 years. The perjury charge has a maximum sentence of five years.
