Former Illinois Congressman Mel Reynolds could travel freely in South Africa despite his tax case. A federal judge allowed the past congressman to travel and care for his alleged sick daughter in South Africa, which is a violation of his bond on tax charges.
Reynolds had been out to travel in South Africa and was possessing two passports, Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas said. However, this was a violation of his bond. Jonas requested U.S. District Judge John Darrah to put Reynolds on electronic monitoring and home confinement, Fox 32 Chicago reports. Reynolds reportedly told Darrah that he has two passports because his first travel document was stolen that prompted him to get a temporary one. He also claimed that his present home in Chicago couldn't accommodate electronic monitoring.
Darrah gave Reynolds until Wednesday to find a new home. The federal judge also delayed Reynolds' misdemeanor tax charges trial on June 20. On Monday, the former Illinois Congressman was arrested when he reached Atlanta Airport after he refused to return to Chicago because he was reportedly caring for his daughter who is ill in South Africa. Darrah dismissed Reynolds' request to postpone his trial on May 2 to stay with his daughter longer, The Herald News reported. He wrote a letter addressed to Darrah stating he's staying abroad because his daughter who have scoliosis could also have cervical cancer.
"Maybe another parent could walk away from their child now, but I can't, that is why I will not be in Chicago today," Reynolds, a Chicago Democrat, wrote. "I need to stay here with my daughter for the time being to help her through this extremely critical time in her young life."
Prosecutors were questioning Reynolds' statements because his daughter, Marisol posted updates in the social media in Berlin in February when he reported to be staying in South Africa to care for her. The spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago also said that his daughter posted status that she's doing squats, which could be dangerous for someone who's ill. The updates on Reynolds' daughter in the social media gave the prosecutors a chance to investigate on the authenticity of his daughter's illness, according to The News Tribune.
Reynolds was permitted to visit his daughter in South Africa two times since he pleaded not guilty to four counts of failure to file income tax between 2009 to 2012.
