"U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle sentenced former lobbyist Kevin Ring to 20 months in federal prison followed by 30 months of probation. This ends years of litigation by sentencing the last man standing in the political lobbying scandal that brought down republican influence peddler Jack Abramoff. Ring has said that that these trials (2 of them) have cost him more than money ($2 million). His marriage was a casualty as well as the obvious loss of a career, not to mention the consequences it has for his two daughters. Ring was convicted at his second trial (first one failed to reach a verdict) in November 2010. He has been awaiting sentencing since then.
Kevin Ring, an attorney by education, is not a saint but neither is he the evil person the prosecution tried to portray. His sentencing, like to complexities of his two trials, was a hard fought legal battle by both the prosecution and his defense. In fact, the government prosecutors had wanted to sentence Ring to 20 years until Judge Huvelle ruled that she would only allow a sentence of 50 months to be recommended by the government prosecutors. The ring leader of the scandal, Abramoff, got 6 years in prison and most of the others involved received no prison time and instead got home confinement or probation. The prosecution had wanted to send a message to lobbyists by asking for a long prison sentence … the defense just wanted something that made sense for the level of offense (probation). It seems the judge split the difference."
Get the Story:Walter Pavlo: Kevin Ring, Abramoff Understudy, Sentenced to 20 Months In Prison (Forbes.Com 10/16) Also Today:
Kevin Ring, Author of Scalia Book, Gets 20 Months in Abramoff Scandal (The Wall Street Journal 10/26)
Former Jack Abramoff associate sentenced to 20 months in prison (The Washington Post 10/26)
Ex-Abramoff associate Ring sentenced to 20 months in 1 of scandal's harshest punishments (AP 10/26) District Court Decision:
Opinion | Appendix Related Stories:
Federal judge won't impose lengthy sentence on Abramoff figure (09/21)
Prosecutors seek a lengthy sentence for Abramoff associate (08/31)
Figure in Abramoff lobbying scandal going to trial a third time (03/23)
Former Abramoff associate found guilty on five of eight counts (11/16)
Judge won't dismiss charges against lobbyist in Abramoff scandal (08/06)
Figure in Abramoff scandal scheduled for another trial in October (07/15)
Judge sets June 2010 trial for Abramoff player (10/20)
Judge declares mistrial in Abramoff figure case (10/16)
Judge rejects mistrial in Abramoff figure's case (10/15)
Jury still deliberating fate of Abramoff figure (10/14)
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