RIVERDALE, Ill. — A federal indictment has been filed against Village of Riverdale Mayor Lawrence Jackson.

He was charged with one count of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

Jackson has been in the spotlight for years in connection to a legal fight over garbage pickup in the south suburb.

For years, Jackson has been under tight surveillance.

In May 2022, the FBI raided Jackson’s house. A day before the raid, federal prosecutors sent a subpoena to the Village of Riverdale for business records related to Tri-State Disposal, a waste management company located at 138th and Ashland.

At one time, the company was contracted by the village for garbage pick-up.

Now, suspicions about the village and Jackson’s alleged illegal business practices are exposed in a federal indictment filed on Nov. 1.

As WGN Investigates reported last year, Tri-State Disposal filed a 2018 civil lawsuit against Jackson and the village.

According to the indictment, the suit alleges in November 2017, Jackson caused Riverdale to give preferential treatment to another company by unlawfully allowing the village to issue a zoning permit permitting a recycling and waste business to operate.

The indictment cites that after the owners of Tri-State spoke out during public hearings against the permit being issued, Jackson retaliated against the company by refusing to renew its garbage contract.

Riverdale residents who spoke with WGN-TV on Thursday said the indictment against Jackson marks the beginning of a fresh start for the community.

“It’s a 100% new start because you took advantage of something that was blessed,” Michael Airhart said. “It was given to you. Not only did you take advantage of it, you took advantage of the people. We’re the people that put you in but we’re the people to take you out.”

A representative from the Village of Riverdale said they have no comment about the recent indictment.

Mark LaRose, the lawyer representing Tri-State Disposal said the indictment doesn’t surprise him.