United States v. Lewis M. Dischner, United States of America v. Carl W. Mathisen

These are consolidated appeals from convictions on jury verdicts rendered after an eight-month trial. Lewis Dischner and Carl Mathisen were found guilty of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-1963 , conspiracy to violate RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1962 (d), extortion in violation of the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951 , mail and wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 1343, and violating the Travel Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1952 . We affirm.

Factual Background

This case arises out of an investigation of corruption in the Office of the Mayor and the Department of Public Works of Alaska’s North Slope Borough during the tenure of Mayor C. Eugene Brower, who served as mayor from 1981 to October 1984. During his administration, Brower accelerated a large-scale public works and capital improvements program. Under this program, the Borough contracted for and administered construction projects in an effort to build warehouses, fire stations, health clinics, sewage and waste treatment plants, and other facilities in villages throughout the Borough. The Department of Public Works, headed by Irving Igtan-loc, ran the program and spent $700 million…