Former Kenosha County Executive Allen Kehl will spend the next two years in a federal prison. He was sentenced Tuesday for taking $15,000 in bribes from businessman Dennis Troha, who was earlier convicted of making illegal campaign donations to try and win approvals for a new casino in Kenosha.
The 64-year-old Kehl resigned after he was indicted in February. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate campaign finance laws. Kehl's attorney asked for probation. But Federal Judge Charles Clevert said the public's trust in elected officials would be shaken if Kehl was to get off that easy. Kehl apologized, but he denied the bribes were connected to his support for Troha's casino project.
US Attorney Steve Biskupic says eight people have been charged in political corruption cases in Kenosha but not all those cases are related. Last week, Kenosha businessman Gerald Kurth was charged with using hidden cash to donate to candidates in other people's names. Tuesday, two people were charged with lying to the FBI in their investigation into Kurth. A third person was charged with using illegal cashier's checks to donate to Kehl in other people's names.
