Tag Archives: sentence

Attorney: Hastert won’t appeal 15-month prison sentence

(CHICAGO) Dennis Hastert does not plan to appeal the 15-month prison sentence handed down in a dramatic court hearing late last month, his lead attorney told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Thomas Green confirmed in a one-word email to the Sun-Times on Thursday that Hastert won’t fight the punishment. Hastert’s plea deal with federal prosecutors gave him two weeks to file an appeal. Though two weeks have passed since his sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin’s sentencing order wasn’t entered on the court docket until two days later, on April 29.

Durkin called the former speaker a “serial child molester” last month and forced him to admit he sexually abused students decades ago at Yorkville High School.

The judge also ordered Hastert to participate in a sex offender treatment program and pay a fine of $250,000.

In comments that revealed the depths of his anger over Hastert’s conduct, the judge described the former speaker’s actions as “unconscionable.” He said “some conduct is unforgivable no matter how old it is.” And he called Hastert’s sentencing day “sad for our country.”

Hastert pleaded guilty in October to a financial crime — withdrawing a total of $952,000 from his bank accounts in a way that would avoid detection. But his past sexual abuse of teenage boys took center stage at his sentencing hearing at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

The dramatic two-hour hearing included testimony from Scott Cross, who for the first time revealed himself to be the person previously known in court papers only as Individual D. Cross, the brother of former state House GOP leader Tom Cross, testified that Hastert molested him when he stayed after school one night to cut weight for the wrestling team.

The sister of another victim, the late Stephen Reinboldt, also testified.

The man at the center of Hastert’s May 2015 indictment, Individual A, did not speak. Hastert agreed to pay Individual A $3.5 million in hush money but paid only $1.7 million. Individual A has sued Hastert for the remaining $1.8 million.

When the bank first questioned Hastert about suspicious bank withdrawals, Hastert lied and claimed he was using the money to buy stocks and antique cars. He later told authorities he was the victim of an extortion plot by Individual A. He helped the feds secretly record two phone conversations with Individual A in March 2015.

But authorities began to doubt the claim and confronted Individual A. That’s when Hastert’s dark secrets began to spill out.

Green said in a statement immediately after the hearing that the former speaker had accepted his sentence.

“He takes sole responsibility for this tragic situation and deeply apologizes to all those affected by his actions,” Green said. “He hopes that he now can focus on addressing his health issues and on healing the emotional damage that has been inflicted on his family and friends who have shown unwavering support throughout this trying time.”

Hastert victim:  Ex-Speaker abused nine boys

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert departs the federal courthouse Wednesday, April 27, 2016, in Chicago, after his sentencing on federal banking charges which he pled guilty to last year. Hastert was sentenced to more than a year in prison in the hush-money case that included accusations he sexually abused teenagers while coaching high school wrestling. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert departs the federal courthouse Wednesday, April 27, 2016, in Chicago, after his sentencing on federal banking charges which he pled guilty to last year. Hastert was sentenced to more than a year in prison in the hush-money case that included accusations he sexually abused teenagers while coaching high school wrestling. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

 

By  John Dempsey, WLS-AM 890 News

(CHICAGO) How many teenage boys did Dennis Hastert sexually abuse?  One of his victims says the number may be as high as nine.

Scott Cross told Politico’s Natasha Korecki he has personally confirmed that the former U.S. Speaker of the House abused nine boys when he was the Yorkville High School wrestling coach in the 60’s and 70’s, not five as court records have suggested.

Cross is the brother of Hastert’s one time political protege Tom Cross, the former Illinois House Republican leader who stepped down from the legislature two years ago in a losing bid for State Treasurer.

​Scott Cross delivered dramatic, emotional testimony before U.S. Judge Thomas Durkin on Wednesday, telling the court that Hastert sexually abused him when Cross was a star wrestler for Yorkville High in the late 70’s.

Scott Cross also told Politico that Hastert, “….has his bed to lie in. His time will come; the maker’s got his number.”

Judge Durkin gave Hastert a 15 month prison term and fined him $250,000, calling Hastert a “serial child molester.”

Because the statute of limitations has run out on the child abuse allegations, Durkin could only sentence Hastert for banking law violations,  for failing to report withdrawals he made to pay another victim, known in court papers as “Individual A.”

Individual A has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Hastert, for failing to pay all of the money they agreed upon, as compensation for Hastert’s past abuse.

During a hearing on the suit Thursday, Kendall County Judge Robert Pilmer ruled the suit can go forward, but told Individual A’s attorney the man may have to eventually disclose his identity, something the man does not want to do at this point.

The next hearing in the case is July 25th.

Read the Politico story here..

@ 2016 WLS-AM News