Former Junction City, Kansas commissioner indicted
From Sunshine Review
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July 2, 2009 On Wednesday, a federal grand jury indicted Michael R. "Mick" Wunder, a former Junction City commissioner, on 11 counts that include bank fraud and conspiracy.
[edit] The charges
Wunder, 52, was charged for allegedly taking $19,000 in bribes. The indictment against Wunder was issued under seal by a federal grand jury in June and unsealed Wednesday. Because Wunder was defeated in a re-election bid in April, his service as commissioner for more than a decade was interrupted.[1]
The U.S. Attorney's office says the case is ongoing the date for Wunder's initial court appearance has not been set.[1]
Wunder is charged with:
- One count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, violate the Hobbs Act and structure financial transactions to evade federal currency reporting requirements.
- One count of structuring financial transactions to evade the Bank Secrecy Act requiring reports on transactions of $10,000 or more.
- Five counts of unlawfully using his position as a Junction City Commissioner to obtain money and other properties.
- Three counts of bank fraud.
- One count of perjury.[2]
[edit] A developer pleads guilty
The charges against Wunder come the day following the developer David Ray Freeman's guilty plead to giving money to a Junction City commissioner as incentive for the city to award development contracts. Freeman agreed to cooperate with prosecutors during this time of investigation. His sentencing date is scheduled for September 29 when he may face up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $1 million.[1]
The indictment provides that Wunder and Freeman became friends in 2004 when Freeman was hoping to construct new houses and was considering investing in land in Junction City. There had been reports that Junction City and Fort Riley would soon be host to many returning soldiers, creating a booming new housing market, potentially doubling the population in the city. Junction City then began annexing 1,400 acres for housing development.[2]
[edit] Potential consequences
The crimes that Wunder has been charged with carry penalties like a maximum of 30 years in federal prison and up to $1 million in fines for conspiracy, a maximum of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 for structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements, a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of unlawful use of an official position to obtain money and other properties, a maximum of 30 years and a fine up to $1 million on each count of bank fraud, as well as a maximum penalty of 5 years and a fine up to $250,000 for perjury.
The FBI and the IRS/Criminal Investigation Division worked on the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney are prosecuting.[2]
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