Press Publications | Northwest DuPage • mysuburbanlife.com • Friday, August 2, 2013 • NWD
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Itasca man among nine Good? Better? indicted on extortion charges We want the best SUBURBAN LIFE MEDIA The blessing and curse of a career in journalism is that many of us end up moving around a lot. I’ve spent most of my career in the Chicago area, but I also enjoyed stints in the Northeast, Northwest and Southeast. I was fortunate to meet many interesting people, heard some fascinating stories (fascinating to me, anyway) and learned a lot about the world. But I also had to deal with a sense of rootlessness, of covering a community but not being a part of it. That changed when I moved to Chicago’s western suburbs. It didn’t take me long to realize that there’s something special about this area. In other places, I was just passing through. This is home. But you already knew that this was a great place to live. The communities of DuPage County, western Cook County and northern Will County are some of the most desirable ZIP codes in the U.S. There are countless attractions, restaurants and other businesses that make this region much more than just a bunch of suburbs. With that in mind, we’re giving you a chance to tell us what you love about your hometown. We’re introducing a new contest called The Best:
VIEWS Dave Lemery Suburban Life Readers’ Choice Awards. It’s very simple: • Log on to www.my suburbanlife.com/thebest. • Peruse the categories (among the many options are “best brewery,” “best art gallery,” “best downtown shopping,” and much more). • Type in your favorites. Feel free to skip any where you don’t have an opinion. • Enter your email, hit submit, and you’re done! Voting continues through Aug. 22, and we’ll announce the winners in September. So if you’ve got a favorite hairdresser, make sure to vote. Favorite shoe store? Make sure it doesn’t get left out! And everyone needs a good mechanic, so be sure that one shop you always visit gets the recognition it deserves. Together, let’s recognize the best of the many great offerings in the western suburbs.
Dave Lemery is managing editor of Suburban Life Media. He can be reached at dlemery@shawmedia.com or by phone at 630-427-6250.
Man charged after viewing child porn By ANNA SCHIER aschier@shawmedia.com BLOOMINGDALE – A Bloomingdale man who reportedly used library computers to view child pornography faces multiple charges. Scott Baudin, 58, of the 100 block of Lakeview Lane, is charged with six counts of child pornography possession after a police investigation ended with his arrest July 24, according to Bloomingdale Police Department Detective Watch Commander John
Krueger. A tipster told police several weeks ago that Baudin had been seen at the Bloomingdale Public Library viewing child pornography on a public computer. A detailed investigation into Baudin’s activities followed and police obtained a warrant to search his house. During the search, police say photographs of child pornography were discovered. Baudin remains in DuPage County Jail on full bond of $50,000.
CAROL STREAM – Nine men from the Chicago area were named in three indictments July 24 in U.S. District Court, for allegedly collecting debts “through the use of intimidation, fear and violence,” according to a news release from the FBI. According to one of the indictments, Paul Carparelli, 44, of Itasca, collaborated with others to collect business debts from three business owners in Nevada, Wisconsin and New Jersey. The indictment alleges that the debts were owed to Carol Stream-based American Litho, a commercial printing company. According to one indictment, 52-year-old Mark Dziuban of St. Charles, vice
president of sales for American Litho, and co-defendant Frank Orlando, 47, of Schaumburg, whose company contracted to supply ink to Dziuban’s firm, attempted to extort business owners who owed debts to the Carol Stream company. The indictment alleges Carparelli, or others directed by Carparelli, met with business owners and threateningly demanded for payment of the debts. This indictment also seeks forfeiture in the amount of $26,500 from Carparelli. The second indictment also contains one count each of conspiracy to commit extortion and attempted extortion against four individuals: Luigi Sardone, 51, of Franklin Park; Navneet “Guru” Chawla, 48, of Naperville; Vito Iozzo, 41, of Lombard;
and Patrick White, 46, of Aurora, who also were indicted for allegedly conspiring to collect a purported debt owed by an individual to Chawla, who in turn owed a debt to Sardone. According to the indictment, in addition to verbal demands for payment, White and another person struck and kicked the individual from whom the defendants sought the payment. Also named in the indictments were George Brown, 41, of Lombard, and Robert McManus, 43, of Cicero. The indictment seeks forfeiture from all of the defendants in the amount of $26,500. Each count against the defendants carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Rep. Peter Roskam under ethics investigation By NATHAN LURZ nlurz@shawmedia.com U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) is under investigation for a possible breach in ethics, according to a July 26 news release from the House Ethics Committee. Roskam, who is the chief Republican deputy whip, is one of four U.S. representatives under investigation. The investigation was launched after recommendations from the Office of Congressional Ethics were sent to the house committee. The committee has already reviewed the recommendations for 45 days and has another 45 days to decide whether to conduct full investigations of any of the four representatives. The committee does not comment on pending investigations, according to a committee spokesperson.
Roskam’s office has released details of the findings of the Office of Congressional Ethics and has said that “Rep. Roskam fully complied with all laws, rules and procedures.” The Office of Congressional Ethics investigated a fact-finding trip for the Ways and Means Committee that the congressman and his wife took in October 2011 to Taiwan, said Roskam’s communications director, Stephanie Kittredge. During the trip, Roskam met with government officials and industry leaders for congressional work, Kittredge said. According to Kittredge, the office is alleging that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, a government agency, sponsored the trip. However, Kittredge said that the actual sponsor was the Chinese Cultural University, a private education facility.
Kittredge said that the ethics committee fully vetted the trip before it was taken, found no wrongdoing and that the allegations were “a clear misunderstanding of ethics rules.” “TECRO is basically the de facto embassy for Taiwan, so it made sense to work with them,” she said. The congressman fully cooperated with the original Office of Congressional Ethics investigation, Kittredge said, turning over documents, submitting himself and his staff to interviews and waiving his right of confidentiality, an “unprecedented” decision. She said that the congressman had no problem being open and releasing the information to the office and to the public because “we did nothing wrong.” “It was a legitimate trip for legitimate purposes,” Kittredge said.