A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Springfield:

BROTHER OF FORMER COUNTRY CLUB HILLS POLICE CHIEF PLEADS GUILTY TO MONEY LAUNDERING, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Ricky McCoy, brother of Regina R. Evans, former police chief for Country Club Hills., Ill., appeared in federal court in Springfield today to enter pleas of guilty to one count each of money laundering and obstruction of justice in the federal investigation of a grant fraud scheme involving his sister.

McCoy appeared this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough in Springfield. Sentencing for McCoy is scheduled on Jan. 4, 2014.

McCoy was charged in March 2013, along with his sister, Regina Evans, 50.

Regina Evans pled guilty last week, on Aug. 19, 2013, to obstruction of justice, witness tampering and
conspiracy to obstruct justice and witness tampering.

In addition, Evans pled guilty on June 17, 2013, to charges of fraud related to a $1.25 million state grant awarded in 2009 to We Are Our Brother’s Keeper, a not-for-profit program that Evans owned with her husband, Ronald W. Evans, Jr.

Ronald Evans has also pleaded guilty to the fraud scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2, 2013. Regina Evans is scheduled to be sentenced in both cases on Oct. 15, 2013.

McCoy, who assisted the Evanses in the management of We Are Our Brother’s Keeper, admitted that he engaged in money laundering related to the grant funds in November 2009.

McCoy admitted that he issued a check payable to himself, in the amount of $16,249, on behalf of We Are Our Brother’s Keeper, with the proceeds of the check deposited to an account controlled by the Evanses. Further, McCoy issued two additional checks, totaling $19,888, on behalf of We Are Our Brother’s Keeper, made payable to an associate of the Evanses, and $17,888 of the check proceeds were deposited to a bank account controlled by the Evanses.

McCoy further admitted that he participated with his sister Regina, and others to have a person identified as Individual A create a false story for law enforcement, the grand jury, and as a witness in a court proceeding, to falsely represent that the individual performed actual work under the grant awarded to We Are Our Brother’s Keeper.

In fact, Individual A performed no such work and the checks issued to Individual A were merely a means to conceal grant funds converted to cash and returned to the benefit of the Evanses.

The false story created for Individual A falsely represented that Individual A worked as a teacher under the grant, and instructed students on “soft skills,” to include manners, how to dress for an interview, how to groom themselves, how to behave in interviews and how to write a resume, when in fact, the story was false and intended to obstruct the investigation of the grant fraud.

At sentencing, the maximum statutory penalty for obstruction of justice and for money laundering is up to 20 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass is prosecuting the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by participating agencies of the Central District of Illinois’ U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Corruption Task Force including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Chicago Division; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations; and, the Illinois Secretary of State Office of Inspector General. Individuals who wish to provide information to law enforcement regarding matters of public corruption are urged to call the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 217-492-4450.