Peel to answer charges April 13
3/23/2006 4:22 PM By Steve Gonzalez -East St. Louis Bureau
Attorney Gary Peel will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Wilkerson at 1 p.m. on April 13 to answer a four-count indictment charging him with bankruptcy fraud, obstruction of justice and possession of child pornography.
He also was ordered to report to the U.S. Probation Office two hours before his hearing.
Peel, 62, of Glen Carbon, may no longer be employed with the colossal class action Lakin Law Firm.
An employee of the Wood River firm hung up when a reporter inquired about Peel on Thursday morning.
At 9 a.m. Peel's name appeared on the firm's website, but at noon his name was no longer on the list of Lakin attorneys, which includes State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), who serves as of counsel with the firm.
The Lakin website markets itself as a team of talented and experienced attorneys dedicated to advocating for injured individuals.
"Our lawyers possess broad and diverse experience and education," it states. "It is that diversity of knowledge and experience upon which our successful practice is built.
Peel's indictment handed down by a federal grand jury Wednesday reads as follows:
In said telephone calls, Peel's ex-wife told Peel that she did not want her attorneys to see the pictures. Peel counseled his ex-wife that if the existence of the pictures were disclosed to her attorneys that they would request copies, that there would be court orders for production and that "it begins to get more visible."
Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned that this Hewlett Packard printer was manufactured outside of the State of Illinois. Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned that the paper copies of the photographs of D.R. were produced on paper that was manufactured outside of the State of Illinois. Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned that the original photographs of D.R. were produced on materials that had been manufactured outside of the State of Illinois.
Count I of the indictment for bankruptcy fraud states, "Between on or about January 20, 2006, and on or about January 31, 2006, within St. Clair County, within the Southern District of Illinois, Gary Peel, defendant herein, did knowingly and fraudulently give, offer, receive, and attempt to obtain money and property, remuneration, compensation, reward, advantage, and promise thereof for acting and forbearing to act in a case under Title 11; all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 152(6)."
Count II, the obstruction of justice county states that Peel did knowingly and corruptly attempt to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding; all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(c)(2).
Counts III and IV claim Peel knowingly possessed child porn and placed it in his ex-wife's mailbox and also had copies of the photographs in his possession.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke and Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Massey will recommend that bail be set at $10,000.
If Peel pleads not guilty to the charges, U.S. District Judge David Herndon will preside at the trial
