Bribery trial of former Portage Mayor James Snyder set for Sept. 15: Report

Former Portage Mayor James Snyder’s third criminal trial is set to begin on Sept. 15 at the federal courthouse in Hammond. U.S. District Judge Gretchen Lund scheduled the trial after both prosecutors and Snyder’s legal team rejected an earlier date suggested by Judge Matthew Kennelly, who presided over Snyder’s second trial. The new trial follows a unanimous decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, allowing federal prosecutors to retry Snyder for bribery after determining that a $13,000 payment he received from a city contractor in 2014 was not necessarily a legal gratuity. This marks Snyder’s third trial after his 2019 conviction was overturned, reported NWI.com.

Additionally, he still awaits sentencing for a separate federal tax obstruction conviction after his initial 21-month prison term was vacated on appeal.