Charges filed against Cairo city officials

CAIRO, Ill. -- Charges of forgery and official misconduct were filed Thursday by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan against the mayor, former city treasurer and city clerk of Cairo. The charges allege the three mishandled city funds after the mayor was sworn into office two years ago.

Mayor Paul Farris was charged with three counts of forgery and three counts of official misconduct. Both forgery and official misconduct are class 3 felonies in Illinois, carrying with them a maximum punishment of two to five years in prison.

The charges allege Farris set up a city bank account at a Pulaski County bank in violation of city codes, which authorize only certain banks in Cairo, in Alexander County, to be used to deposit city funds.

City clerk Debran Sudduth and former city treasurer Charles McGinnis have been charged with two counts of forgery and official misconduct apiece.

Account opened in Mounds

Information filed today in Pulaski County Circuit Court alleges that the three officials signed documents to open an account at a Mounds, Ill., bank without city council approval. The attorney general says that because the forgeries were done in their capacity as city officials, official misconduct charges were also warranted.

The case was initially referred to the attorney general's office by Alexander County state's attorney Jeff Farris because as a cousin to Mayor Paul Farris, he was concerned about a potential conflict of interest. As the investigation led to the Mounds bank, the attorney general's office was authorized by the Pulaski County state's attorney's office to proceed with its probe and handle prosecution of the case.

Summonses have been issued for each defendant to appear in Pulaski County Circuit Court on May 23 at 10 a.m.