Chicago Criminal lawyer comments on the guilty plea of the court clerk

This Chicago Criminal lawyer is dismayed by the guilty plea of former court clerk Angelo Colon.

February 23, Chicago, IL

A former deputy clerk at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to bribery for falsely claiming he could corruptly arrange the release of a drug suspect from jail.

Angelo Colon, 48, admitted soliciting $15,000 from a woman over several months in 2008 and 2009 after falsely leading her to think the money would go to a judge to obtain her husband's freedom.

Mr. Colon took his position of trust and used it to his financial advantage. But there's an inherent problem here. He apparently told the victim he could arrange, for a fee, to get someone out of jail. That's why there's bail bond. The bond is made to secure the return of the defendant to court. Unlike, some defendants, if bond isn't offered or if it is too high, then it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to realize that an under-the-table deal is probably not going to result in anything but a lighter wallet for the party willing to pay for something that is apparently unavailable above board.

After the recent ruling in the case against former Governor Ryan that results in a complete loss of his pension, I wonder if Mr. Colon will face a similar disgorging of all of the retirement money he earned while working as a clerk in the Cook County courts.

Folks a little Free Legal Advice: If that offer sounds too good to be true, if it can't be done in open court; if your lawyer isn't the one who suggests this route, it probably won't be successful.