Key Figures In Stenger Case Facing Their Own Federal Charges
Updated at 5:15 p.m., May 10 with Sheila Sweeney's guilty plea — Two people who figured prominently in the political corruption scandal that brought down former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger have been charged as well.
John Rallo, an insurance executive who allegedly received county contracts in exchange for campaign contributions to Stenger, was charged Friday with bribery, mail fraud and honest services fraud, the same charges that Stenger pleaded guilty to last week. Sheila Sweeney, the former head of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, pleaded guilty to covering up the scheme, and not telling law enforcement about it.
Rallo was the first of the two to appear at the Thomas Eagleton Federal Courthouse in St. Louis, pleading not guilty to the three charges. He declined to comment after leaving the courthouse. A future court date has not been set.
Sweeney stood in front of U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry about six hours later to admit to a single felony count of misprision of a felony, or knowing about a felony and taking a step to conceal it.
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