Indiana sheriff denying wrongdoing in federal bribery trial

HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) - A northwestern Indiana sheriff on trial for federal bribery charges is blaming sloppy bookkeeping for $7,500 he received from a towing company operator not showing up in his political campaign account.

Lake County Sheriff John Buncich continued his testimony Monday as the trial entered its third week. Buncich denied last week ever requiring towing companies to pay him in order to get business from his agency and accused the FBI and government informants of setting him up.

A federal prosecutor on Monday pointed out passages from undercover recordings in which Buncich said he would help one towing business whose owner bought fundraising event tickets, but the sheriff replied he didn't promise anything.

Buncich was elected in 2015 to his fourth term as sheriff of Indiana's second-most populous county.