The United States Attorney's Office
District of Massachusetts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2008
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/MA
CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING
PHONE: (617) 748-3356
CHRISTINA.STERLING@USDOJ.GOV
FORMER SENATOR WILKERSON AND CITY COUNCILOR TURNER INDICTED IN PUBLIC CORRUPTION CONSPIRACY
BOSTON, MA—Former Massachusetts State Senator DIANNE WILKERSON and Boston City Councilor CHUCK TURNER were indicted this afternoon as co-conspirators on a federal public corruption charge.
United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Office and Police Commissioner Edward Davis of the Boston Police Department announced today that DIANNE WILKERSON, 53, of 74 Howland Street in Boston, Massachusetts, and CHARLES “CHUCK” TURNER, 68, of 63 Beech Glen Street, Boston, Massachusetts were charged by federal indictment this afternoon.
WILKERSON and TURNER were charged with conspiring to extort cash under color of official right. TURNER is also charged with one count of attempted extortion under color of official right in connection with his acceptance of $1,000 in cash to assist a Boston-area businessman obtain a liquor license, and three counts of false statements to FBI agents. In total, the indictment handed down today charges WILKERSON with nine federal felonies and TURNER with five federal felonies. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of the funds paid to WILKERSON and TURNER by undercover agents and a cooperating witness as part of an 18-month covert investigation into their alleged corrupt activities.
If convicted WILKERSON faces up to 20 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of the nine charges. If convicted TURNER faces up to 20 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of the two extortion charges. He faces up to 5 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of the three false statement charges
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Office, in conjunction with the Boston Police Department Anti-Corruption Unit and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation - Boston Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil in Sullivan’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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