Feds indict Ald. Jones // Government unfazed by acquittals in last 2 trials

Undaunted by two straight setbacks in the Operation Silver Shovelcorruption probe, federal prosecutors forged ahead Thursday bybringing bribery charges against Ald. Virgil Jones (15th).

Jones and an associate, Charles Nix, were charged with takingtwo bribes totaling $7,000 from John Christopher, the corruptbusinessman who served as an undercover mole in the investigation.Jones, 48, allegedly pocketed the money in 1992 and 1993 in exchangefor helping Christopher win contracts and acquire city permits.

In one instance, on Dec. 18, 1992, the indictment charges,Christopher wrapped $4,000 into a newspaper at a restaurant and leftthe paper on a seat next to Jones. After Christopher left, Jonesallegedly walked into the restroom with the paper and retrieved thecash.On Jan. 8, 1993, Christopher allegedly paid Jones an additional$3,000.The unveiling of the charges came one day after a jury acquittedAld. Rafael Frias (12th) of bribery and other charges. Like formercity Water Commissioner John Bolden, found not guilty of briberycharges in September, Frias successfully argued that he wasentrapped. The Silver Shovel probe has resulted in 10 convictions sofar.But Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Lassar said each case isdifferent. "You have to judge each case on its merits," he said."We think this case will hold up very well."Lassar said he was disappointed by the Frias jury's decision butthat he did not want to elaborate about his reaction. He said hestill plans to talk to the jurors to understand how they decided thecase.Jones, unlike other defendants in the probe, allegedly metChristopher before Christopher began working for the FBI, Lassarsaid. According to the charges, the men met in summer, 1991, monthsbefore Christopher's undercover work started.Soon afterward, Christopher started making payments to anassociate of Jones, identified as Person A, for his assistance inobtaining contracts, according to the charges.Jones could not be reached for comment.In January, 1996, when Operation Silver Shovel was made public,Jones said he initially had thought Christopher was a legitimatebusinessman until someone warned him he might be shady. But laterin 1996, Jones told reporters he knew Christopher was an informant."I could tell," he said. "It was the questions he would ask me.The things he would say."In about May, 1992, Person A allegedly told Christopher thatJones agreed Christopher could install a rock crusher at 76th andAlbany if Christopher paid them $10 a load. Jones then allegedlywrote a letter and spoke to city officials to request thatChristopher be allowed to operate the rock crusher.In October of that year, Nix, 73, allegedly replaced Person A asthe liaison between Jones and Christopher.Jones allegedly explained that Person A had only once passed onChristopher's payments to Jones, according to the indictment.Nix's lawyer, Nan Nolan, said Nix will plead not guilty.Also on Thursday, Bolden was sentenced to a year of probation,including four months of home confinement, for his conviction on twofelony tax charges. Bolden, who was acquitted of accepting two$1,000 bribes, also was fined $5,000.