Tim Mapes, the former right-hand man to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, is bracing for sentencing on Monday after a conviction of perjury and obstruction of justice charges last year. According to the WLS report, federal prosecutors have pitched a sentence of five years behind bars, while Mapes' defense pushes for community service instead.
The Chicago Tribune says Mapes was found guilty in August after jurors took roughly five hours to deliberate his fate. Mapes stands, embroiled in a wider net cast by federal investigators targeting corruption at the state's highest levels. The man, once a pivotal cog in Madigan's political machine, now has the gears of justice grinding close.
The trial revealed how Mapes, known for his meticulous nature at the Capitol, gave answers flooded with "I don't recall" to a grand jury inquiring about Madigan's dealings with confidant Michael McClain. These responses were deemed lies designed to shield Madigan from the probing eyes of the law. This perjury put a dent in the armor of Madigan's camp, with Mapes now potentially paying a steep price for his loyalty – up to 20 years in prison for the obstruction charge alone, as indicated by ABC7 Chicago.
In contrast to the iron-fisted image that the prosecution painted, Mapes' attorneys and several supporters portray him as a noble public servant who rose from modest beginnings. His lawyers submitted letters under seal, which were argued by prosecutors to be unveiled, citing public interest due to the authors' positions as elected officials and employees of state government. "Tim Mapes is a good man," defense attorneys Andrew Porter and Katie Hill wrote, according to the Tribune. "He has spent decades working very hard, (and expecting it of others) trying to make the State of Illinois better, fairer, and more compassionate to its citizens."
The sentence for Mapes will be delivered at Chicago's Dirksen Federal Courthouse. The outcome will follow on the heels of Michael McClain's prior conviction, as the dominoes of Madigan's once formidable influence continue to topple.
