Judge will not reconsider 4-year sentence, $50K fine for ex-Ford Heights mayor in misconduct case

FORD HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- A judge ruled former Ford Heights Mayor Charles Griffin's sentence would not be reconsidered in his theft and misconduct case.

The judge on Friday denied both Griffin's motion to reconsider the sentence and his motion to remain on bond, as he appeals the case.

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In January, Griffin was sentenced to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and a $50,000 fine.

He was found guilty of felony theft and official misconduct charges in September.

He embezzled tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money for personal gain. Griffin was first charged in 2018.

Freddie Wilson was appointed acting mayor of the struggling south suburb after Griffin was convicted.

While there is support for the new mayor, others question his ties to Griffin, who served from 2009 to 2017 and again beginning in 2021.

"That's got nothing to do with me," Wilson said at the time. "Whatever the mayor might have made mistakes doing, that was on the mayor. Don't hold me accountable for what the mayor did."

Wilson added his focus is on completing ongoing improvement projects in the village, which has a declining population and continues to struggle financially and with crime.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.