Former Riverdale Mayor Lawrence Jackson was sentenced Thursday to six months in prison for providing false testimony during a civil deposition aimed at concealing his financial connections to a landfill owner with significant influence in the financially troubled south suburban village.
U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman, who delivered the sentence in Chicago, highlighted Jackson’s otherwise commendable background, noting his rise from Chicago housing projects through hard work to a career in public service. Despite this, the judge emphasized the seriousness of Jackson’s decision to lie under oath, particularly given his role as a public official involved with city business figures. “Public officials are expected to be honest with how they approach the judicial process,” Gettleman said.
Jackson was convicted by a jury in November of perjury and obstruction of justice charges linked to a 2021 deposition in a civil lawsuit brought by Tri-State Disposal. The company alleged Jackson favored Riverdale Materials, a business owned by James Bracken, a subject of a federal corruption probe. Prosecutors argued Jackson lied to protect his ties to Bracken, who helped facilitate Riverdale’s waste contracts and played a central role in operations of Centennial Holdings, a trucking business incorporated by Jackson and his wife despite their lack of expertise.
During the deposition, Jackson denied any involvement in hiring Flood Brothers, another waste company introduced by Bracken and hired for a cleanup event. Prosecutors contended this was false and that Jackson had been introduced to Flood Brothers through Bracken rather than the village administrator as claimed. Additionally, Jackson denied Bracken’s significant involvement in Centennial Holdings, attributing business management to his wife and accountant; however, evidence presented showed Bracken controlling most daily operations and using the company as a source of income for Jackson with little actual work performed.
Jackson’s defense attorneys argued that any inaccuracies in his deposition resulted from honest mistakes and unclear questioning. At sentencing, his lawyer read a statement indicating Jackson was unable to admit wrongdoing. Jackson himself did not speak in court but spent over two hours with his wife afterward without comment.
The six-month prison term was less than the eight months sought by prosecutors, but Judge Gettleman rejected probation, stressing the need to send a clear message to elected officials about the consequences of dishonesty in their official capacity.
Jackson’s legal troubles forced him to resign as mayor and forfeit his publicly funded pension. Charges related to failure to file federal income tax returns were dismissed by prosecutors following sentencing.
The case stems from investigations into the Bracken family’s extensive landfill and waste-hauling business operations. Campaign records show that companies connected to James and Kelly Bracken contributed more than $30,000 to Jackson’s political campaigns between 2016 and 2021. Despite federal investigations, Bracken has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Riverdale, with a population of about 13,000, has wrestled with persistent budget deficits and corruption allegations for years. Jackson, elected in 2013 shortly after a prior corruption case involving developer John Thomas, had campaigned on stabilizing the village’s finances. Yet recent financial reports by Fitch Ratings downgraded Riverdale’s credit status to CCC, citing severely weakened finances and limited liquidity.