Rita's Time in Court Not Over Yet
By: Sabrina Santucci
Updated: February 15, 2013
Dixon- Local newspapers read in bold letters "Rita saddled with 19 years, seven months." A federal sentence some in
Resident
Tommie Wallace explains "I think it's fair and just."
Dixon
Mayor Jim Burke would have liked to see Crundwell spend more time behind bars
after swindling the city of nearly $54 million dollars.
Mayor
Burke says "if one looks at it on the amount of money that she took that
is not a horrendous sentence and I'm not criticizing the judge for it. Obviously
the judge gave her the maximum sentence."
But Crundwell's
day in court may not be over. Mayor Burke has no plans to drop the 60 separate
state charges against her.
Mayor
Burke says "I'm going to be talking with city council about how they feel
about this. My tendency is that that we go forward with this thing."
A
sentiment echoed by those who have lived in the small town for years. Wallace
says "I think it's more than fair that she be prosecuted to the fullest
extent of the law."
Crundwell
has pleaded not guilty to the dozens of state felony charges for theft in
Lee
County States Attorney Anna Sacco-Miller says "at this point my intent is
to meet with the mayor and city officials of
The
city has not estimated the cost of pursuing state charges filed against her. Regardless,
Mayor Burke feels it's important to do so especially for the people of

