From The Daily Herald:

Ex-lawmaker released on bond in bribery plot
By Shamus Toomey Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted on June 28, 2002

Former Streamwood state Rep. Roger "The Hog" Stanley was released by a federal judge Thursday after agreeing not to leave the area and posting as bond a suburban building he co-owns with a man now set to testify against him.

"His fishing trips will be curtailed," said Stanley attorney Michael Ettinger, referring to Stanley's frequent trips to Costa Rica, where he co-owns a travel agency.

Stanley, 59, is accused of passing $130,000 in bribes to former Metra board member Donald Udstuen to get $4 million in contracts. Prosecutors have said they are concerned Stanley will flee to Costa Rica, which does not have a firm extradition treaty with the U.S.

But after Stanley surrendered his passport Wednesday and agreed Thursday to post his interest in his Bridgeview-based UniStat building - valued at more than $200,000 - prosecutors dropped attempts to have him held in custody.

U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras released Stanley, now of Burr Ridge, and ordered that he not travel outside of Illinois, Indiana or Wisconsin without permission. Stanley owns a summer home in Door County, Wis., that Ettinger asked that he be allowed to visit.

Kocoras also said he would freeze Stanley's assets in five separate companies, including UniStat, a direct mail company popular with state legislators. Democrats and Republicans alike have given UniStat nearly $2.45 million in business since 1996 - mostly for negative campaign mailings.

UniStat is housed in the same building as Midwest Compu-Service, which Stanley co-owns with Robert Doyle, 63. The Midlothian man was indicted with Stanley last week on lesser charges and is cooperating with prosecutors. Ettinger said he thinks Doyle secretly taped phone calls with Stanley, and has ordered his client not to talk with Doyle. Lawyers are now trying to split up their company.

Doyle is expected to plead guilty. Udstuen pleaded guilty Wednesday, and, like Doyle, is expected to testify against Stanley. "We'll be making every effort to sink him," Ettinger said of Udstuen.

Stanley, a Republican, served Streamwood in the state house from 1977 until 1982.