Kwame Kilpatrick is not the first politician to be accused and convicted of a crime. Actually, he is in some pretty distinguished company. Sad but true. The list is long and the crimes vary from corruption, drugs, sexual misconduct, etc. as well as the prison sentences. Here are just a few of the many who have been caught and convicted.f
1. Former Congressman William Jefferson
The corruption case against William J. Jefferson started on a suspicion of bribery. In 2007, a federal grand jury indicted Jefferson on sixteen charges related to corruption. In 2009 he was tried in Virginia on corruption charges. On August 5, 2009, he was found guilty of 11 of the 16 corruption counts and was sentenced to 13 years in November. It is the longest sentence ever handed down to a congressman for bribery. (Photo: NewsOne)
2. Former Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers
Former Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers was notorious for her degrading, insulting and derogatory attitude toward anyone who did not agree with her point of view. In 2009, she pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bribery and served just over 27 months at the Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia. (Photo: AP)
3. Former Ohio State Representative W. Carlton Weddington
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In June of 2012, former Ohio State Representative W. Carlton Weddington was convicted on bribery charges and sentenced to three years in prison. (Photo: AP)
4. Sisters of corruption -Jane Orie, Joan Orie Melvin and Janine Orie
Pennsylvania Republican Jane Orie resigned from the State Senate in May of 2012, following her conviction on 14 counts of forgery, conflict of interest and theft of services, and is currently serving a two-and-a-half to ten year prison sentence. Jane Orie (r) is pictured with her sisters, PA. Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin (Ctr) and Janine Orie (l) who are also facing charges for campaign corruption and other alleged crimes.
5. Former Alabama State Representative James Thomas
Former Alabama State Representative James Thomas was sentenced to one year on charges of having sexual contact with a 17-year-old female student at the high school where he was principal. (Photo: AP)
6. Former Mississippi state prosecutor and judge Bobby DeLaughter
Mississippi state prosecutor, judge and author Bobby DeLaughter can now add convicted felon to his long list of titles. In 1994, he was made famous for finally convicting Byron De La Beckwith in the 1963 murder of Medgar Evers. In 2009, DeLaughter was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for an obstruction of justice charge. (Photo: AP)
7. Former New York State Senator Shirley Huntley
Former New York State Senator Shirley Huntley pleaded guilty last month to falsifying evidence in an attempt to cover up the theft of taxpayer money from a nonprofit agency that she founded, ending a prominent corruption case that included charges in federal and state courts. A sentencing date had not been set. (Photo: AP)
8. Former Governor of Illinois and golden boy Rod Blagojevich
Former Governor of Illinois and golden boy Rod Blagojevich was convicted of corruption and is now serving 14 years in federal prison. After his removal from office and before being sentenced he used his down time to do a little reality television; Dancing With the Stars and had signed on to do ‘Get me Outta here, I’m a Celebrity’ but was unable to do so. (Photo: AP)
9. Former Prince George’s County Council member Leslie Johnson
Former Prince George’s County Council member Leslie Johnson served one year and one day for her role in a corruption scheme spearheaded by her husband. When the couple was arrested in 2010, she tried to hide thousands of dollars in her underwear and also admitted flushing a 100-thousand-dollar bribe check down the toilet. (Photo: AP)
10. Former Prince County Executive Jack B. Johnson
Leslie’s husband and former Prince County Executive Jack B. Johnson pleaded guilty for masterminding a corruption conspiracy that netted him as much as $1 million in bribes and implicated his wife and several developers, county officials and businessmen. He was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. (Photo: AP)
11. Former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford
In March of 2010, Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a federal judge in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns in connection with a long-running bribery scheme. He was also fined more than $119,000. (Photo: AP)
12. Former Federal District Judge Samuel B. Kent (Texas)
Former Federal District Judge of Galveston, Samuel B. Kent, was sentenced to serve 33 months in federal prison in 2009, for obstructing justice in the investigation of sexual abuse allegations. The court also order Kent pay a $1,000 fine and a total of $6,550 in restitution to his victims. He is also the first federal judge impeached in 20 years. (Photo: AP)
13. Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin
Former New Orleans mayor C. Ray Nagin was convicted February 12, 2013 on charges of accepting bribes from city contractors while in office. He is now heading to Federal prison for ten years.
14. Former City Councilman Larry Seabrook
Former New York City councilman Larry Seabrook was indicted on 13 counts of money laundering, extortion, and fraud and was sentenced to five years in prison for misdirecting hundreds of thousands of dollars for community projects to his girlfriend and family members. (Photo: AP)
15. Former New York State Senator Efrain Gonzalez
In 2010, New York State Senator Efrain Gonzalez was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to two conspiracy counts and two wire fraud counts in May of 2009. He used community funding for vacation homes for his wife, mistress, renovations to his mother-in-law’s home, Yankees tickets and college tuition for his daughter. (Photo: AP)
16. Former Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland
Former Governor of Connecticut John G. Rowland resigned from office during a corruption investigation, and later pleaded guilty to one-count of deprivation of honest services. He served ten months in a federal prison followed by four months house arrest, ending in June 2006. (Photo: AP)
17. Former State Senator Dianne Wilkerson
Former State Senator Dianne Wilkerson, once considered a rising star, was video taped by the FBI stuffing bribe money into her bra. Charged with tax evasion, ethics violations and perjury, Wilkerson pleaded guilty to eight counts of attempted extortion and was sentenced to three and one half years in federal prison. (Photo: AP)
18. Current D.C. Council member Marion Barry
Current D.C. Council member Marion Barry once served six months in federal prison on drug charges. He just turned 77 and remains a figure of popularity and influence on the local political scene of Washington, D.C. (Photo: AP)
