A former La Salle mayoral candidate was charged Tuesday with 11 felonies, including nine eavesdropping charges and two for burglary.

Jamie M. Hicks, 51, of La Salle faces nine counts of eavesdropping for “unlawfully recording conversations with individuals without their knowledge or permission,” La Salle police said in a Tuesday press release.

“This is retaliation for the federal lawsuit I filed against the City and Carus,” Hicks said in a statement. “They’re trying to bury me in charges to either scare me into dropping the case or distract me so I don’t have time to focus on it.”

One of the counts is a Class 1 felony carrying four to 15 years in prison for “unlawfully recording a conversation with an Illinois Assistant Attorney General.” Eight more of the eavesdropping counts are Class 4 felonies, carrying a sentence of one to three years.

Additionally, Hicks was charged with two counts of burglary, a Class 2 felony carrying three to seven years. Hicks, according to the press release, allegedly entered on Feb. 8, 2023, a building owned by Carus Chemical Corp. and allegedly “pulled a fire alarm and caused damage to the fire alarm system.”

The press release was issued shortly after a La Salle County grand jury handed down an 11-count indictment. Specific details are emerging, although court records are being updated to reflect offenses dated between Feb. 8, 2023, and Dec. 7, 2023.

Hicks ran for mayor of La Salle in the spring election and finished third in a four-way race that launched incumbent Jeff Grove back into office. Hicks is a frequent critic of Carus and the city.

“I am fighting this lawsuit pro se, without an attorney, and this is exactly the kind of abuse of power I’ve been exposing,” Hicks said. “They’re trying to make me miss deadlines.”

Court dates are pending in La Salle County Circuit Court. The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni.