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CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker, Suzanne Le Mignot and Kristyn Hartman, WBBM 780's Craig Dellimore and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ― Ald. Arenda Troutman (20th) woke up to federal agents and an arrest warrant Monday morning.

Troutman was arrested for allegedly accepting a $5,000 cash bribe, with the understanding she would receive an additional $10,000 and other benefits, in exchange for supporting a purported private developer.

The bogus private developer allegedly struck a deal with Troutman in which the developer would receive help obtaining zoning changes and alley access for a mixed-used development in Troutman's South Side ward would.

In exchange, Troutman was allegedly to receive cash, $5,000 in political contributions and the promise of free use of both commercial and residential space in the proposed development, according to the criminal complaint unsealed Monday.

The developer, the target of a separate mortgage fraud investigation, was actually part of an undercover investigation that began in May 2006, acoording to a U.S. State's Attorney's press release.

"You want the alderman's support, you pay the alderman, you pay Arenda Troutman," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Shapiro in a press conference Monday. "When the cooperating witness offered her $25,000 dollars, she counter offered, again another negotiation, asking for a residential unit with commercial space."

Bond was set at $10,000 for Troutman at an initial appearance in federal court Monday afternoon.

The FBI tells CBS 2 that search warrants were executed to 6518 S. Kimbark, which is Troutman's home, and 5859 S. State, which is Troutman's ward office.

Authorities had to break a window to arrest her at home, on public corruption charges. Authorities saw her lurking in that window.

Brown paper covers the windows at Troutman's 20th Ward office Monday morning and a visitor tells CBS 2 that typically is not the case. Earlier Monday morning, federal agents were seen entering the office and at about 10:25 a.m., an Illinois State Police canine unit arrived. The officer and dog went inside.

A sign on the side of the building says "Don't let this one get away," and it seems the FBI didn't.

Federal agents broke the window on the front stoop of Troutman's home to gain entry because she apparently wasn't answering the door.

A witness tells CBS 2 that he saw six to eight agents coming and going at the home. The witness, who asked to remain anonymous, said he woke up early this morning by a loud banging noise.

When he looked outside at Troutman's home, he saw several people on the stairs.

"I was awakened by loud banging and saw a number of people on this stairwell. It was dark, so I couldn't tell who they were, but they were in dark clothing," he said. "A bit later, I saw someone coming out of this door."

If convicted, Troutman faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Troutman's attorney, Sam Adam Jr., said he was told his client is being accused of accepting a bribe in connection with a mall development in her ward.

"There are certainly some ugly allegations that are being spread, but we categorically deny any wrongdoing," Adam said. "She never accepted a bribe from anybody. This has to do with a mall somewhere in her ward. But I don't even think a mall went up."

Adam said he would not comment further until he sees the charges, which are expected to be unsealed this afternoon.

David E. Neely, one of five people challenging Troutman in next month's municipal election, released the following statement on Troutman's arrest:

"It is with deep regret and sadness to learn that 20th Ward Ald. Arenda Troutman was arrested by federal agents this morning at her home on public corruption charges, including but not limited to bribe-taking. My prayers go out to her and her family and I am reminded that in our system of justice, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

"However, it is my hope that we can move forward with our agenda to make the 20th Ward a better place to live by eliminating criminal street gangs, drug dealing and official corruption. It is my belief that if term limits were implemented, we would be able to reduce official corruption."

In addition to Neely, four others are challenging Troutman for election as alderman of the 20th Ward in February: Willie B. Cochran, Myra Young, Michelle Winding and Edward Chaney.

"We need trust, we need dependability, we need confidence in our leaders," said Chochran.

All remained on the ballot as of this morning, but challenges have been filed against the nominating petitions of all five challengers to Troutman, according to the Chicago Board of Elections. Hearings on those objections are scheduled Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

The FBI questioned Troutman in 2004 about her relationship with a fugitive Chicago gang member, Donnell "Scandalous" Jehan, after finding a letter from Chicago police to Troutman in the possession of the Black Disciples gang.

Troutman would not comment publicly on her relationship with Jehan at the time, except to say that he was a constituent.

In a raucous news conference at her ward office a few days after she was questioned, Troutman said she met with Jehan and another top Black Disciples gang member, Marvel Thompson, but that they presented themselves as businessmen.

"They looked like what they said, they were businessmen. They talked like businessmen, they were dressed like businessmen, they had business to discuss, there was no way for me to know that they were anything other than business people," Troutman said at the time.

Two envelopes addressed to the alderman from the Chicago Police Department were found in Jehan's apartment during a federal raid.

Troutman and her attorney said she's an ardent recycler and reuses envelopes sent to her constantly, and maybe that's how they ended up in the apartment.

Three hours before that news conference, Troutman's brother was arrested in a drug-related sting.

Last summer, Troutman was embarassed again when the Sun-Times reported that her family created and ran Hobtat Trucking Co., a firm that was paid more than $1.1 million from the city's Hired Truck Program. It was the first tme that an alderman's relatives had been linked to the scandal-ridden rogram.

At the time, the alderman said she never made a dime from the program and had "done nothing wrong."

Troutman was appointed by Mayor Daley in 1990 after the death of Ald. Ernest Jones (20th). The mayor stuck with her even after her opponents circulated police reports detailing her 1978 arrest for shoplifting. She admitted the crime, although the case was dropped.

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