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As Will County coroner and Chief Bigbucks during the 1980s to Republicans both in the area and statewide, Robert Tezak, in today’s parlance, “walked the walk and talked the talk.” He exuded brashness and arrogance, traits unfortunately considered laudable for much of the last decade, and was very much a behind-the-scenes political powerhouse.He appears to be a perfect example of the adage that the higher they rise, the harder they fall. And Tezak, a multimillionaire, has fallen hard; he will spend many years in prison and pay a small fortune in fines due to his crimes.In imposing sentence on Tezak June 24, U.S. District Judge Wayne R. Andersen has plenty to consider. Tezak, who earlier insisted on his innocence, eventually pleaded guilty to hiring someone to burn down his money-losing Crest Hill bowling alley. He also admitted threatening his sometimes lover and former daughter-in-law, who was preparing to testify against him, and to conspiring in yet another torch job, this time of the former Private Industry Council building he owned in Joliet. It seems the latter blaze was started to burn records that had been subpoenaed as a part of a federal investigation into PIC in the mid-80s.Arson for profit. Witness intimidation. Destroying evidence in a criminal investigation. And now, another nefarious allegation has surfaced regarding Tezak. During a sentencing hearing before Judge Andersen Monday, a former cellmate of Tezak’s at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, where the onetime bigwig has been held for several months, testify that Tezak hired him to kill a witness who was scheduled to testified in the arson-for-profit trial.The cellmate, admittedly is no angel himself, having been convicted of check forging and postal theft. But Sheldon Good claimed in court that Tezak gave him $1,000 as a partial payment to kill Kenneth Floyd, who was then a co-defendant in the bowling alley arson case. Good also said Tezak gave him a map of a restaurant Floyd supposedly frequented.This latest charge was dismissed by Tezak’s attorneys. Nonetheless, it is now part of the court record against Tezak.How far they rise. How far they can fall.
Newspaper Details
Frankfort Star
Frankfort, Illinois, US
Thu, May 19, 1994
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
AZ, USA 29 Jan 2020
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