A U.S. District Court jury is scheduled to resume deliberations Monday in the racketeering and extortion trial of eight current or former City of Chicago drain inspectors. The inspectors are charged with taking nearly 350 bribes from more than 50 plumbing contractors to overlook violations and to issue permits. The jury completed two days of deliberations Friday, and its members went home for the weekend. The defendants are charged with conspiracy, racketeering, and extortion. The 8 were among 14 current or former inspectors indicted last July on charges of shaking down 96 contractors for payoffs ranging from $10 to $600 for permission to connect single-family houses and apartment buildings to the city`s sewer lines. Four defendants have pleaded guilty, and two others are awaiting trial. On trial are Harold Knies, 70, of 5215 S. Nottingham Ave., and Leo Gruenholz, 45, of 6280 W. 93d St., Oak Lawn, both former inspectors, and six current inspectors, Nicholas Caputo, 43, of 7904 W. Belmont Ave.; Andrew Federinko, 55, of 2724 W. 84th Pl.; Hensley Garner, 47, of 7624 S. Union Ave.; Donald Hojnacki, 51, of 4842 S. Lawler Ave,; Rhey Orme, 36, of 10816 S. Parnell Ave,; and John Pagone, 64, of 468 N. Aberdeen Ave.
