Timothy Mapes, Lying Under Oath, Illinois 2023

Timothy Mapes, Former Chief of Staff to Illinois House Speaker, Sentenced for Lying Under Oath

CHICAGO — In a shocking turn of events, Timothy Mapes, the former Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for providing false material testimony under oath to a federal grand jury and attempting to obstruct its investigation into allegations of public corruption.

Mapes, 69, of Springfield, Ill., was convicted by a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago last year of making false declarations before a grand jury and attempted obstruction of justice.

U.S. District Judge John F. Kness imposed the sentence on Mapes, which was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz and Diane MacArthur.

Evidence presented at trial revealed that the grand jury was investigating possible violations of federal criminal law, including efforts by the Speaker of the House and a consultant acting on the Speaker’s behalf to obtain for others private jobs, contracts, and monetary payments, including from Commonwealth Edison (“ComEd”), the largest electric utility in Illinois, to influence and reward the Speaker in the Speaker’s official capacity.

Mapes was granted immunity prior to his testimony before the grand jury, which meant that his testimony could not be used against him in a criminal case, except for perjury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with the immunity order.

When Mapes appeared before the grand jury on March 31, 2021, he knowingly made false material declarations in response to several questions about the consultant’s relationship with the Speaker from 2017 to 2019. He denied knowing that the consultant acted as an agent or performed work for the Speaker during those years, when, in fact, Mapes knew that the consultant carried out work and assignments on behalf of the Speaker and communicated messages on the Speaker’s behalf.

The case is a major blow to the Speaker and his office, which has been embroiled in controversy for months. The investigation is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what other charges may be brought.

Mapes is set to begin serving his sentence in the coming weeks. His lawyer has not commented on the sentence, but sources close to the case say that Mapes is likely to appeal the conviction.

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