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Tezak’s reported torch man may plead guiltyBy Tamara SharmanOne of the men former Will County Coroner Robert Tezak said he hired to commit arson is expected to change his plea to guilty on Monday, according to a federal prosecutor.Stephen P. Kezerle faces federal charges of arson and conspiracy to commit arson for allegedly burning down a Joliet building owned by multimillionairebusinessman Tezak.Kezerle was expected to plead guilty this week in federal court, but his lawyerwanted more time to discuss the plea agreement with Kezerle, said AssistantU.S. Attorney Dean Polales.Kezerle was charged with torching thebuilding at 225-227 N. Chicago St. in downtown Joliet. The December 1987 fire destroyed the structure which housed the federally funded Will County Private Industry Council and the Will County Center for Community Concern.Tezak has admitted to hiring Kezerle to destroy the structure in order to collect insurance money and to destroy recordsstored there.Those documents had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, reportedly in connection with an investigation of county officials.On Oct. 25, 1993, Tezak pleaded guilty to charges that he hired someone to torch the unprofitable Galaxy Bowl in CrestHill, which he owned, in order to collect insurance money. That blaze in August 1987 damaged, but did not destroy, thebowling alley.Also in October, Tezak pleaded guiltyto charges that he threatened to kill his former daughter-in-law and ex-lover if the woman testified against him in court.He will be sentenced for his role in the bowling alley fire and for the threats against his daughter-in-law and longtimelover.As part of a plea agreement the federalgovernment will drop charges that Tezak conspired to burn down the Joliet building, but the ex-coroner admitted his guiltSee TEZAK, Page A-4
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Crete Star
Crete, Illinois, US
Thu, Feb 03, 1994
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