Springfield Businessman Implicated In Newark Deputy Mayor Arrest

A Springfield trucking company owner has been indicted along with a former Newark deputy mayor on charges of corruption, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Friday.

Sonnie L. Cooper, 67, of Springfield, owner and president of S. Cooper Brothers Trucking, was charged by a federal grand jury in a five-count indictment. He is accused of paying money to former Newark Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Ronald Salahuddin, 59, in exchange for his help in steering waste hauling contracts to his company.

The indictment describes a scheme in which Salahuddin directed demolition contracts to an individual, identified in the indictment as CW, who would then steer contracts he was getting from the City of Newark and the New Jersey Devils hockey team, to Cooper's business. But unknown to both Salahuddin and Cooper, CW was cooperating with federal authorities. The indictment also alleges that Saluhhuddin and Cooper had a partnership in a waste hauling business and Salahuddin had provided financial backing for Cooper.

The charges allege that Cooper paid Salahuddin $45,000 between May and August 2007.