Feds Seek 1-Year In Prison For Former Ald. Munoz For Wire Fraud

CHICAGO — Federal prosecutors want a judge to sentence former Ald. Ricardo Munoz to a year in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud earlier this year.

Munoz, who served as alderman for 26 years, was indicted in April on 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering for allegedly embezzling nearly $38,000 from the Chicago Progressive Reform Caucus political action committee fund for personal expenses.

Munoz was accused of using the campaign cash to pay for a relatives' college tuition, buy jewelry, clothes, cell phones, vacations and tickets for airline flights and sporting events, among other things, according to court papers.

In September, Munoz accepted an agreement to plead guilty to one felony wire fraud charge.

On Wednesday, prosecutors filed a sentencing memo that argues Munoz should face prison time for violating the public's trust.

"A sentence within the advisory guidelines range 10 to 16 months’ imprisonment is warranted and necessary. A … below-guidelines sentence would send the wrong message: that a politician can act with impunity by embezzling from a political action committee that he was entrusted to manage, and then lie about it. This conduct needs to be met with a serious repercussion—which in the government’s view is a sentence of one year and one day imprisonment," the memo states.

The court filing says Munoz, 55, struggled with substance abuse and was going through a divorce during the same time he allegedly embezzled money from the campaign fund. But that's not a good excuse.

"The conduct at issue was not a momentary lapse of judgment—it was a years-long fraud scheme. A guidelines sentence would account for the seriousness of defendant’s conduct, which showed a person living beyond his means and using CPRC cash to support a lifestyle that others do not enjoy," the sentencing memo states.

Prosecutors also argued that Munoz should get prison time as a warning to other Chicago politicians who might be tempted to use campaign funds as a personal piggy bank.

"Sadly, Chicago is as well-known for its corruption as its points of pride that make the city a truly special place. The problem has become so bad that it is not out of the ordinary to hear that a long-time elected official—such as defendant—is facing federal charges due to misconduct while in office. This needs to stop. Politicians here need to know that breaking the law has consequences. And, this case can send an important message in the campaign finance field, which as this case shows, is ripe for politicians using campaign funds for improper purposes," the sentencing memo states.