Presta Cops Guilty Plea To Red Light Camera Bribery Scheme

CRESTWOOD, IL — Crestwood’s embattled, avuncular mayor pleaded guilty to taking part in a bribery scheme involving red light camera services during a teleconference Wednesday morning before U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin.

Lou Presta, 71, was indicted in August 2020 and pleaded not guilty to federal criminal charges last year. Earlier this fall, Presta signaled his intent to change his plea to guilty.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Presta pleaded guilty to using a facility in interstate commerce in aid of bribery and official misconduct, and tax counts alleging he failed to file an income tax return and also willfully filed a false income tax return. The bribery count is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, while the tax offense carries a maximum sentence of three years, in addition to fines and supervised release. Preliminary sentencing guidelines suggest a prison sentence of up to 2.5 years. The judge set sentencing for Feb. 23, 2022.

Presta appeared on the teleconference call in the Chicago office of his attorneys, Thomas Breen and Robert Stanley. Asked what he did for a living, Presta stated that up until Tuesday, he had been mayor of Crestwood for nine years.

“I resigned last night,” Presta told the judge.

Judge Durkin also asked about Presta’s health, whether it interfered with his ability to change his plea to guilty.

Presta said he suffered from heart problems, diabetes, cholesterol and problems with his stomach. He also needs two knee surgeries.

“I’m going to Mayo Clinic in January to get an evaluation,” the former mayor said.

By accepting Presta’s guilty plea, the judge told Presta that he would be giving up his right to a trial, as well as certain civil rights, such as the right to vote, serving in public office, or owning a gun.

According to Presta’s plea agreement with the government, the red-light camera company, SafeSpeed LLC, provided camera services to Crestwood. Video clips of motorists allegedly driving through red lights were sent to Crestwood police, who reviewed the violations and would issue traffic violations to motorists. SafeSpeed has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

As the company was trying to get the village to install a second red light camera in Crestwood, the then-mayor accepted a cash payment from former SafeSpeed executive Omar Maani, identified in the indictment as "Individual A." Maani , who has since been terminated from the red-light camera company, was actually cooperating with the FBI. The feds alleged that Presta assured Maani the percentage of red-light violations would remain high or increase.

In a phone call on Feb. 27, 2018, the plea agreement said that Presta updated Maani on the higher percentage of red-light camera violations approved by the village the previous week. During the call, Presta allegedly stated, “We’re starting to get the numbers again. You got a new sheriff in town."

Shortly after the call, Presta received a $5,000 cash bribe from Maani on March 7, 2018, that was captured on camera. The former executive is said to have told Presta to keep the exchange of money quiet. At the time, Presta was running in the Democratic primary for the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

“Oh no, I’m glad nobody else is here,” Presta was captured saying in the recording. “I can’t even put it in the bank.”

When questioned by federal law enforcement in September 2019 about the payment of the $5,000 bribe, Presta allegedly stated that he neither asked for nor received the cash payment. Only when shown the recording, the assistant U.S. attorned said, Presta claimed there was no money in the envelope.

In addition to the bribery scheme, Presta admitted in the plea agreement that he willfully filed a false personal income tax return for the calendar year 2015.

After the assistant U.S. attorney read the plea agreement, the judge wanted to hear in Presta’s own words what he was pleading guilty to.

“On count 1, I accepted money from a person that I knew wanted me to take action as mayor of Crestwood,” Presta said. “I told the person I would see what I could do.”

“On count 6, in October 2016, I filed a false tax return for 2015, and I failed to file in 2014,” he said.

Judge Durkin cautioned Presta that he had the authority to vary “upward or downward” from the pre-sentencing calculations resulting in a sentence “that’s greater or lesser" from the advisory guidelines.

Presta would also be giving up parole and be required to serve his complete sentence, with good behavior factored in.

“If the sentence is more severe than you expected, you’re still bound by your plea of guilty,” Judge Durkin said.

Despite the federal criminal charges looming over him, Presta was easily reelected in April to a third term as mayor.

On Tuesday evening, Presta sent a short letter of resignation to village trustees effective immediately:

“It has been an honor serving the residents of our Village as a Trustee and Mayor. I will make myself available to my successor to provide a smooth transition.”

The Crestwood Village Board is expected to choose a successor during their regular meeting this Thursday.