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Lawrence Mayor's Former Chief Of Staff, Dept. Police Chief Indicted On Corruption Charges

LAWRENCE (CBS) - Two people close to Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua have been indicted on extortion and bribery charges.

Prosecutors say Lantigua's former Chief of Staff Leonard Degnan forced a trash company to donate a truck to a community in the Dominican Republic.

The indictments against Degnan include Solicitation of a Bribe with Corrupt Intent, Knowing Solicitation of a Bribe, Unlawful Use of Official Position, Conspiracy, Extortion or Attempted Extortion.

Dept. Police Chief Melix Bonilla is also charged in a separate scheme.

Prosecutors accuse Bonilla of using his position to fraudulently transfer ownership of 13 cars from Lawrence police to a car sales agency that had a close affiliation to Mayor Lantigua.

He faces indictments that include Trick, Scheme or Device to Mislead in the Procurement of Supplies, Fraudulent Conversion of City Property, Unlawful Use of Official Position, Conspiracy, and Extortion or Attempted Extortion.

Lantigua's name has surfaced in a number of controversies since he took office.

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