Veteran Chicago cop charged in tow scam

William Lee
Chicago Breaking News
Jun. 30, 2010

Chicago police Officer James Wodnicki's Northwest Side beat was a gold mine for tow truck drivers as long as they were willing to throw a few bucks his way, federal authorities said.

When a stolen car was found by its owner on a Bucktown street in July 2006, the 20-year veteran patrolman allegedly broke department rules when he phoned a tow truck driver, who retrieved the car and took it to an auto shop. A second tow driver went along, ferrying the car's owner to the shop.

Later, outside Wodnicki's police station, the second tow driver -- who was secretly working with federal authorities -- handed over a $150 cash bribe folded in his palm, payment for the heads up, as he shook hands with the officer, authorities said.

On Tuesday, federal authorities arrested Wodnicki, 48, and tow truck driver Giovanni Rodriguez in the FBI's ongoing investigation, called Operation Tow Scam.

Wodnicki, assigned to the Shakespeare Police District, was charged with attempted extortion, according to an unsealed criminal complaint.

The complaint alleges that Wodnicki requested and received cash bribe payments from certain tow truck operators in exchange for preferential treatment at accident scenes in his district.

Though the complaint suggests that other Shakespeare District officers were involved in similar schemes, authorities wouldn't say if more arrests were imminent. Five other officers have been charged with similar schemes in the past two years.

Rodriguez, 37, was charged with one count of making a false statement after he allegedly lied to FBI agents who questioned him as part of the investigation. Minutes after the FBI interviewed him, federal wiretaps captured Rodriguez allegedly telling another driver he was untruthful in the interview.

Both defendants were released on bail during an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge. Wodnicki was stripped of his police powers pending an internal investigation, said a police spokesman, who declined to comment further.












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