Columnist James Ingram
Well, our old friend Charlie Powell, the former boss of East St. Louis “poli-tricks,” is back in the news, and it looks like Charlie won’t be coming home for Christmas.
Nearing the end of his 21-month sentence, for a 2004 election fraud conviction, Powell recently pleaded guilty to illegally pulling asbestos from the old Spivey Building in ESL.
In addition, Powell confessed to knowing of the presence of asbestos in the building, failing to notify the Illinois EPA (as required), inadequately protecting workers by giving them paper masks instead of respirators and, finally, conspiring to engage in remediation activities, a violation of the federal Clean Air Act.
All told, Powell (according to federal sentencing guidelines) faces an additional 15-21 months in prison and a fine of between $3,000 to $30,000.
However, Powell, apparently sick of taking the rap for St. Clair County political overlords, has struck a deal with federal prosecutors to cooperate and testify (if needed) “concerning all criminal activity about which he knows, whether or not defendant was himself involved,” according to a plea agreement.
In exchange for his cooperation, prosecutors agreed not to charge Powell for “activities concerning violations of the Clean Air Act for demolition procedures at the Roy Weiss Building … and 17th and Broadway (sometimes referred to as the ‘Cahokia Common Fields’).”
Prosecutors also agreed to recommend no fine and sentencing at the low end of the federal range. You know what that means. In the words of “The Godfather, Vito Corleone, Charlie was “given an offer that he couldn’t refuse.”
When you’re a 64-year-old prisoner facing an extended stay in the federal hotel, those types of deals become, increasingly, harder to decline, especially when one becomes tired of taking one for a team that has, literally, thrown you under the bus.
So, if you’re a St. Clair County political big wig, including Board Chairman Mark Kern or Charlie’s cronies (ESL Councilman Eddie Jackson or ESL School Board President Lonzo Greenwood and, yes, even Mayor Alvin Parks) then you should be afraid … very, very afraid!
You see, if the federal government awarded Grammys, then Charlie Powell would be a nominee, because he is preparing to sing (for the feds) like Patti LaBelle at the BET Awards!
But going from “Silent Charlie” to stool pidgeon has a price. I doubt that Powell will ever be able to return to East Boogie when he finally finishes his federal vacation. Crooks have long memories, and life is too short.
But that’s OK, because very soon Powell will have more than his share of company, because this is not about EPA violations. However, it is all about cleaning up the remaining political trash who exploited Powell’s silence during the 2004 election fraud conviction.
Powell will be sentenced on September 17. I strongly suspect that, by then, he’ll be hoarse from all the singing that he’ll be doing. And I strongly suspect that indictments will fly, very soon, for many of Charlie’s political “friends.” Stay tuned.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com.