Walter Hill, former East St. Louis deputy liquor commissioner, was sentenced on last Friday to five years in prison for attempted extortion and for lying to the FBI.
The sentencing hearing for Hill ran into its second day, with sexually explicit testimony steaming up the federal courtroom of U.S. District Judge Michael Reagan.
The former booze official (in the administration of ESL Mayor Alvin Parks Jr.) had previously pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and lying to the FBI.
However, federal prosecutors, in their attempt to persuade the court to depart upward from their sentencing guidelines of 33 to 41 months, provided witnesses to corroborate allegations that Hill routinely extorted liquor license holders, solicited sexual favors as well as free booze for himself and his friends.
One female witness (whose identity was protected by the feds) testified that Hill attempted to shake down her family business for as much as $10,000, only to (later) lower the request to $5,000.
The witness also stated that Hill made himself into a general nuisance, demanding free liquor and even taking 10 to 20 bottles of Patron (high-end tequila), while never tipping the bartenders or dancers of her establishment.
In fact, the witness further testified that Hill attempted to persuade her to “hook him up” with dancers (for sex). His rationale, according to the witness, was that “I run this %#@ city. I run this town.”
And if those allegations weren’t perverted enough, Hill was accused (on one occasion) of fondling himself repeatedly when the witness attempted to renew her liquor license two years ago. According to the witness, Hill went so far as to lock his office door while asking for sex.
Scott Rosenblum, Hill’s superstar criminal defense attorney, must have wondered what he’d gotten himself into upon listening to the freakish, tabloid-like allegations against Hill. But that’s what the Scott Rosenblums of the world are paid (and paid well) to defend.
A host of other nightclub and liquor license holders also complained of money extorted by Hill, with some testifying that they had reported the behavior to Mayor Parks, but to no avail.
Moreover, Hill was portrayed, by prosecutors, as a reckless liar when, during a visit to Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital emergency room, he identified himself as an ESL police officer and bodyguard for Mayor Parks.
That begs the question, how does one afford an uptown criminal defense attorney of Scott Rosenblum’s ilk, yet roll the dice on one’s life at Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital?
Shortly after I first wrote about Hill’s indictment, “Big Walt” had the audacity to ask me (as well as others) to draft a letter of support in preparation for his sentencing hearing.
Apparently, Hill assumed that simply because I have known him (for a number of years) that I would abandon all sense of right and wrong and waste good ink and paper (not to mention my credibility) in defense of him.
After I told him as much, Hill even had the gall (in an email) to tell me that “If it was not for people like me there would be no reason for people like you,” referring to writers such as myself.
The truth is that it were not for people like Walter Hill, Charlie Powell, Kelvin Ellis, Michael Collins and other criminals (in East Boogie), who betray the public trust of the good citizens of ESL, then writers (like me) could focus on more uplifting stories, especially given the dearth of writers who will actually editorialize about those who suck the blood of the poor.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. However, I suspect that for the next five years Walter “Big Daddy” Hill will be swapping tales of shake-downs and perversion with the real pros.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com.