Guilty plea in bribery case

An Algonquin man pleaded guilty Friday to bribing the former Illinois Department of Corrections director to secure state contracts.

John J. Robinson, 59, who previously lived in Barrington Hills and once served as a Cook County undersheriff, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud before U.S. District Judge Mark Filip.

Robinson admitted to funneling former corrections director Donald N. Snyder Jr. $20,000 to $25,000 in kickbacks from 1999 to 2002 in exchange for Snyder ensuring that Robinson's client -- identified only as "Vendor A" in the plea agreement -- continued to provide contracts for corrections health care services.

Robinson worked with two other lobbyists -- identified only as Individual A and Individual B -- in securing the contracts, the plea states. The three and Snyder received a commission from the vendor and then split the take four ways, according to the plea agreement.

"According to Individual A, Snyder said that he wanted to ensure that he had sufficient funds when he left his state position," the plea agreement said.

Robinson would sometimes slip Snyder the cash in a handshake, the plea said. The last payoff took place in a downtown Chicago bar in December 2002.

Robinson is cooperating with the government in the case, according to statements made in court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Levin, who is prosecuting the case with Laurie Barsella. The two also prosecuted former Gov. George Ryan to a conviction.

Robinson's attorney, George B. Collins, confirmed that his client is cooperating.

"He had a lot to do with breaking open the case," Collins said. "He really felt so disgusted with himself that he wanted to make it right."

Michael Metnick, a Springfield attorney for Snyder, declined to say if Robinson's plea will push his client to do the same.

"We're evaluating all of our options and choices. Decisions will be reached relatively soon," Metnick said.

Also pleading guilty Friday to a charge of lying to a grand jury was lobbyist Larry E. Sims. Sims represented "Vendor B," a Pennsylvania health care company also doing business with the corrections department.

Sims told a grand jury on May 5, 2005, that he had never given Snyder any gifts. In fact, he gave Snyder $30,000 in cash from 2000 to 2002, his plea agreement said.

A spokesman for the Illinois Department of Corrections declined to comment on the plea agreements.

No sentencing date for Robinson and Sims has yet been set.