Jury Convicts Illinois Official of Lying About Water Contamination

A one-time suburban Chicago official has been convicted of lying about drawing water for residents for decades from a well tainted by a cancer-causing chemical.

Jurors spent two days deliberating Theresa Neubauer's case before returning with the verdict on Monday.

Prosecutor Tim Chapman said Neubauer - the former water department supervisor - and other Crestwood officials mixed contaminated water with pricier clean water so they could boast about keeping water rates low.

Neubauer is the first and only Crestwood official to go to trial in a scandal that shocked observers because of village officials' apparent callousness.

Defense attorney Thomas Breen claimed she was set up by people higher up the chain of command.

She faced 11 counts of making false statements. Each count carries a maximum five-year prison term.