Couldn’t Happen to a More Deserving Guy.
Ex-Sheriff Ken Jenne of Broward County Florida has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison:
Fla. Sheriff Gets Prison for Corruption
By CURT ANDERSON
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The former head of the largest sheriff’s office in Florida was sentenced to a year and a day in prison Friday after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges.
Ex-Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne, 60, had pleaded guilty in September to tax evasion and mail fraud conspiracy charges involving a series of questionable transactions, including getting money and favors from Broward Sheriff’s Office vendors and payments made on his behalf for a Mercedes-Benz convertible.
Jenne was taken into custody immediately and will likely serve his term at a minimum-security prison camp, possibly in the Miami area, said his attorney, David Bogenschutz.
With good behavior, Jenne could be eligible for release in as little as nine months, his attorney said.
Federal prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas to impose a two-year sentence, the maximum possible under sentencing guidelines, saying Jenne had done immense damage to the office.
Two years? Is this all they could stick him with? From everything I’ve read Jenne was the most blatantly corrupt political hack since Torricelli.
“The people of Broward County shouldn’t have to choose between leaders who are effective and those who are law-abiding. They are entitled to both,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Axelrod said.
But Jenne, a former state senator and long one of Broward County’s leading Democratic politicians, sought a lenient sentence involving no prison time. He has already agreed to pay the IRS about $46,000 in back taxes, interest and penalties and has spent most of his life doing good works for Broward County, Bogenschutz said.
At least we don’t have to play “What political party does this criminal belong to?” Though they did wait until the sixth paragraph.
“Like no other public official in this county’s history, Ken Jenne has left an imprint that will be felt and enjoyed by generations to come,” Bogenschutz said in court papers.
Jenne was praised during Friday’s hearing by a who’s who of public figures, including former state Attorney General Bob Butterworth, former Senate president Jim Scott and many others who asked for leniency.
Every damned one of them should be investigated, too.
In arguing for no prison term, Jenne said he didn’t take taxpayer money, just got help from friends and associates. He noted that pleading guilty had already severely damaged his reputation and career.
I hope it’s ruined you.
But Dimitrouleas said Jenne’s crimes, committed by the county’s chief law enforcement officer, deserve at least some prison time.
SOME?!? They ought to throw his ass UNDER the jail.
“It’s a sad day for Broward County,” Dimitrouleas said. “It doesn’t promote respect for the law if the public views someone as getting a slap on the wrist.”
Although Dimitrouleas insisted on jail time, he also gave Jenne a break because inmates must serve every day of a one-year prison term. By making it a year and a day, the judge made Jenne eligible for release in as little as nine months for good behavior, Bogenschutz said.
“Judge Dimitrouleas did a very kind thing,” Bogenschutz said.
Dammit, they ought to make him serve it ALL.
My first introduction to Ken Jenne came in 2003 when he either duped CNN or they collaborated in making several pieces about the “Assault Weapons Ban.” In my opinion, CNN was a willing player. Since they I’ve payed attention to what was going on in his department.
About damned time.