Jesse Jackson Jr. Reports To Prison After Small ‘Snafu’

Jesse Jackson Jr. reported to prison on Tuesday after a small “snafu” delayed his incarceration by a day. Jackson entered the facility to serve a 30-month jail sentence for misusing campaign finances.

The former US representative attempted to enter the facility early, but was held up by an administrative issue, according to his attorney, CK Hoffler. The attorney received a call from Jackson on Monday night, asking her to pick him up from the prison, notes CNN.

Hoffler added to reporters on Tuesday that the former rep. wasn’t trying to avoid the media by entering prison early. Instead, he thought that the sooner he started his sentence, the sooner he could go back to his family.

During a news conference, CBS News notes that Hoffler added, “He was ready to pay his debt.” However, the Butner Correctional Center wasn’t ready to accept him. Someone representing Jackson told prison officials of his plan to report on Monday. However, prison officials explained that an administrative obstacle kept them from processing him.

Instead, Jesse Jackson Jr. spent the night at a hotel, then reported to the prison again around 10 am on Tuesday, where he is now Inmate No. 32451-016. Court documents weren’t clear on when the former congressman was required to report to prison. However, Judge Amy Berman Jackson told Jackson in her sentencing order that he should surrender to the prison “no earlier” than November 1.

Jackson’s political career imploded when it was revealed that he used campaign finances to support expensive personal spending. His corruption case ended earlier this year, and he was sentenced in August to 30 months after pleading guilty to misusing $750,000 in campaign funds.

Jesse Jackson Jr.’s wife, Sandra Jackson, also pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns and was sentenced to 12 months in prison. There is no word on when she will report prison to serve her sentence.

[Image by United States Congress via Wikimedia Commons]