Jesse Jackson Jr. Transferred To Alabama Prison
Former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. was transferred to from a North Carolina prison to a minimum security prison camp in Montgomery, AL after serving five days in solitary confinement.
Jackson was placed in solitary confinement after he was reportedly advising inmates about their rights in prison after a guard “took exception to that” a source told the Chicago Sun-Times. A hearing was held, and Jackson was cleared of any wrongdoing and asked to transfer to another prison.
The Bureau of Prisons declined to provide specifics over Jackson’s transfer citing privacy and security reasons. A spokeswoman said she could not comment on the move. The Bureau of Prisons now lists Jackson as an inmate at the Montgomery facility.
He served in Congress from 1995 until his resignation in 2012 representing the south side of Chicago.
The Montgomery facility is located on Maxwell Air Force Base. It was Jackson’s first choice when he was sentenced last August for misusing campaign funds, housing 873 offenders.
Jackson,49, is projected to be released on Dec. 31, 2015 according to the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, but could get out early with good behavior.
He was sentenced to 30 months for illegally spending $750,000 in campaign funds for personal use. After he serves his sentence, he must perform 500 hours of community service and ordered to return the money.
According to court documents, he spent money on TV’s, dinners, Jewelry and other items.
Federal sentencing guidelines called for a prison term of 46 to 57 months. The government had asked for four years, Jackson’s lawyers had argued for 18 months.
“I misled the American People. I misled the House of Representatives. I misled the Federal Election Commission. I was wrong” he said at sentencing.
His wife Sandra, a former Chicago alderman, was convicted of filing false tax returns and ordered to serve a 12 month prison sentence and return $22,000- the amount taken from her alderman account.
She is permitted to serve her sentence after her husband completes his. The couple has two children, ages 14 and 10.
Jackson has been treated for bi-polar order and depression.
He has been getting steady visits from his wife, two children and brother and sister.
His father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke to the Chicago Tribune saying “he’s been very disciplined in his health-recovery regimen. He’s been doing a lot of reading and writing.
After his sentencing, Jackson Jr. said to assembled media “I still believe in the power of forgiveness. I believe in the power of redemption. Today I manned up and tried to accept responsibility for the errors of my ways- and I still believe in the resurrection.”
[Image via chicagotribune.com]
