Barnes & Thornburg Achieves Significant Downward-Variance Probation Sentence for Former Portage Mayor James Snyder

On March 10, 2026, Snyder was sentenced to 36 months of probation with no imprisonment or home confinement, marking a substantial 12-level downward variance from the recommended federal sentencing guidelines.

Snyder, originally charged in 2016 with two counts of federal funds bribery and one count of obstructing the IRS, was acquitted of one bribery count and convicted of the other bribery count and the tax count after a 2019 trial in which Brackett served as trial co-counsel. Snyder was sentenced in 2021 to 21 months in prison per count, to run concurrently, but was permitted to remain on bail while appealing the bribery conviction.

A 2024 landmark Supreme Court ruling in Snyder v. United States found that the federal anti-bribery law only criminalizes bribes in exchange for official acts, not gratuities or gifts given for past actions without a prior agreement. The government, after considering retrial, ultimately agreed to dismiss the bribery charge at sentencing, focusing solely on the tax count.

Barnes & Thornburg was re-engaged in August 2025 to represent Snyder in this final sentencing phase. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, the government’s pre-sentencing filings argued that the court should find, by a preponderance of evidence, that Snyder committed bribery, seeking a 21-month prison term. The judge calculated Snyder’s final offense level under the sentencing guidelines at 20, carrying a 33–41month imprisonment range.

At the sentencing hearing, BT vigorously advocated for probation, emphasizing the complete lack of evidence for any quid pro quo agreement or fraudulent invoicing, and highlighting Snyder’s longstanding contributions as a community leader, husband, and father. As defense counsel, Brackett elicited critical admissions from the government’s case agent, who conceded he was unaware of any evidence to support the bribery claims or the government’s assertion that the key invoices in question were “fake or fraudulent.”

Lead counsel Minkler powerfully rebutted the government’s arguments, underscoring Snyder’s lack of conviction on bribery and the substantial collateral consequences endured since the public revelation of the investigation in 2014.

Ultimately, the government’s request for a significant prison sentence was rejected, and Snyder was instead sentenced to 36 months of probation — a resounding affirmation of the defense’s advocacy and a just outcome for Snyder. The court declined to make factual findings on the dismissed bribery charge

“We are honored to have delivered a fair outcome for Mr. Snyder, ensuring that justice was served and his rights respected after many years of uncertainty,” Minkler said.

After the hearing, Snyder said, “The Barnes & Thornburg team representing me at sentencing performed a nearly impossible task: defending my innocence, detangling 10 years of procedural history, preserving my appeal and convincing the court that probation was the just and fair sentence.  Mr. Minkler, Mr. Brackett and the team were able to accomplish this with a record that included only the prosecution’s slanted version of the case.  My family and I are eternally grateful to their thoughtful and tireless work in maintaining my freedom while defending my innocence.”

Barnes & Thornburg was recently named a Law360 2025 White Collar Practice Group of the Year. The group has decades of combined experience, delivering strategic advocacy and proven results in complex federal criminal cases.