By Minyvonne Burke — NBC News
The former mayor of Harvey, Illinois, allegedly turned a blind eye to prostitution activities at a local strip club in exchange for money, a case that resulted in his brother's conviction this week for his role in a years-long operation.
Former Mayor Eric Kellogg is not listed in federal court documents and has not been charged.
His brother, 71-year-old Rommell Kellogg, was found guilty Monday of five counts, including conspiracy to commit robbery and intimidation, and causing the use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote theft and intimidation, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said in a news release.
A criminal complaint against Rommell Kellogg, filed in 2019, claimed he is the brother of the "mayor of the city of Harvey," a suburb of Chicago. A lawyer for Rommell confirmed the family link.
Eric Kellogg stepped down in the spring of 2019. He is not mentioned by name in the complaint (he is only referred to as "Individual A"), but he is accused of participating in the extortion. He could not be reached for comment Friday.
Former Harvey, Illinois Mayor Eric Kellogg on April 29, 2016.John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Getty Images file
The complaint alleged that in 2003, the former mayor demanded that the strip club pay him $3,000 a month in exchange for the city allowing the club to continue operating. Over the next five years, payments were made to him, according to the complaint.
Subsequently, in 2007 or 2008, Eric Kellogg allegedly demanded that the payments be increased to $6,000, according to the document. When the club initially refused to pay the raise, a Harvey police officer allegedly ordered the business to close, according to the complaint.
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The Harvey Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Rommell Kellogg is accused of working with an accomplice, Corey Johnson, on the scheme. Prosecutors said they conspired to regularly demand and collect payments from the club and threatened "that the City of Harvey would potentially interfere with the club's operations if payments were not made," according to the U.S. attorney's office.
At one point, Johnson began collecting the money and handing it over to the former mayor, according to the complaint. Johnson, a cousin of the Kelloggs, pleaded guilty last month to one count of burglary, prosecutors said. Gal Pissetzky, his lawyer, issued a statement Friday.
"Mr. Johnson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor receiving government funds. The government's sentencing recommendation is a sentence of no more than 6 months, we will see parole," Pissetzky said via email. "We are very pleased with this just resolution of the case."
Johnson's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 14, according to his attorney.
The scheme was uncovered following a police search of the company in October 2017 on suspicion of prostitution and tax crimes, according to the complaint. The club's director began to cooperate with the authorities. The complaint said authorities ordered the club to stop operating prostitution in its business, but to continue to cooperate with the defendants.
From December 2017 to May 2018, the club allegedly sent payments totaling $37,000, according to the complaint.
Rommell Kellogg faces up to five years in prison on each count. No sentencing date has been set.