The mayor of Riverdale, a suburb in southern Illinois, has been found guilty of perjury and obstructing justice, according to a report from the Department of Justice shared with ABC7.

Lawrence Jackson, the 49-year-old mayor, was accused of lying during a deposition linked to a 2018 civil lawsuit. The legal action was initiated by a waste management firm against both Jackson and the city itself, as detailed in the indictment.

Filed by Tri-State Disposal Inc., the lawsuit claimed Jackson retaliated against the company by not renewing their garbage collection contract. Instead, the city issued a zoning permit that enabled a rival waste management firm to operate within Riverdale. The suit further accused Jackson of favoring this competitor due to a personal connection with its owner.

Federal prosecutors allege that in 2021, Jackson intentionally provided false testimony while under oath during a session with Tri-State Disposal’s attorney, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

Jackson reportedly testified that he was unfamiliar with the owner of the new waste management company, insisting that their introduction was facilitated by the village administrator of Riverdale.

A federal investigation showed that Jackson did have a prior history with the owner of the company, and he exchanged text messages with the owner during the deposition process, the indictment states.

The indictment also stated that Jackson and his wife owned a trucking company, Centennial Holdings, and the owner of the garbage collection company had prior involvement in its operations.

On Wednesday, a jury found Jackson guilty of both coounts.

The obstruction of justice charge has a maximum sentence of 20 years. The perjury charge has a maximum sentence of five years.