*Former Los Angeles County supervisor and metropolis councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to a few years and 6 months in jail on Monday after being convicted on corruption fees in March.
Ridley-Thomas, 68, was additionally ordered to pay a $30,000 wonderful, CBS Information stories. He was convicted March 30 on one depend every of conspiracy, bribery, and mail fraud; and 4 counts of wire fraud. Ridley-Thomas was accused of abusing his energy when he collaborated with a former head of the USC Faculty of Social Work to allegedly steer county contracts towards the college in change for advantages offered to Ridley-Thomas’ son, former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.
Ridley-Thomas served on the county board of supervisors on the time of the violations.
As LA Focus Information stories, Ridley-Thomas can be beneath supervised launch for 3 years after finishing his sentence.
Los Angeles County politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to a few years and 6 months in jail for voting in help of county contracts that might favor USC whereas accepting advantages for his son from the college. https://t.co/eQHRsk0wJz pic.twitter.com/aeOxX4kWJY
— ABC7 Eyewitness Information (@ABC7) August 28, 2023
“What was important to this case was that $100,000 the defendant on this case tried to funnel by means of USC to get to his son’s non-profit,” stated Martin Estrada, United States Lawyer to the Central District of California, per CBS Information. “On that reality sample, the jury convicted him.”
Prosecutors sought a six-year sentence in federal jail, whereas “protection attorneys sought house confinement, group service, and a wonderful, and requested incarceration of not more than two years and three months if essential, in response to courtroom papers,” CBS Information writes.
“The defendant was somebody who knew proper from improper and selected improper repeatedly,” stated Assistant U.S. Lawyer Lyndsey Dotson.
The decide in the end sided with the prosecution, stating that “Dr. Ridley-Thomas was determined to realize direct advantages for his son” and that Ridley-Thomas had “dedicated critical crimes and had not accepted accountability or demonstrated regret.”
As LA Focus Information stories, in his assertion to the courtroom, Ridley-Thomas stated, partly: “My actions — and the fallout from these actions — have harm my household, starting with my spouse of 44 years who ought to by no means have needed to undergo and ordeal like this. I apologize to her with each breath and with my complete coronary heart. And I apologize to my sons, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, in addition to different relations whose lives have been disrupted and traumatically impacted.”
He added, “Moreover, the anguish that I really feel causes me to say I’m so sorry to all of my constituents, colleagues and staff who’ve believed in me for a few years, however who could now have doubts. I sincerely apologize to them not just for enjoying a task in bringing about these doubts — but additionally for now not with the ability to be there for them in service. I can solely belief and imagine that the long run will afford me the alternatives to proceed to search out methods to serve them and their households, to take away doubt and to revive religion.”
A deadline of midday on November 13, 2023, has been set for Ridley-Thomas to give up to authorities. In keeping with his attorneys, Ridley-Thomas intends to pursue an enchantment.
READ MORE: LA Metropolis Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas Will Not Resign Amid Bribery Scandal
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