On Wednesday a federal judge sentenced former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to 30 months in prison for misusing $750,000 in campaign funds, the Chicago Tribune reports. His wife, Sandi, received a sentence of one year after pleading guilty to falsifying tax returns.
The Jacksons will be allowed to serve their sentences one at a time, with Jackson Jr. going first, based on the wishes of the family as expressed by Dan Webb, an attorney for Sandi Jackson.
Jackson Jr. will report to prison on or after Nov. 1, the judge said.
In addition to the 2.5 years in prison, Jackson Jr. was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Sandi Jackson was ordered to serve 12 months of supervised release following her prison term.
The judge emphasized that Sandi Jackson was sentenced to exactly 12 months, not the year-and-a-day sentence that some criminals get. Defendants sentenced to a year or less cannot qualify for time off for good behavior in prison. But those sentenced to a year and a day can qualify, which means they may end up serving only about 10 months. Under this rule, Sandi Jackson must serve the full year …
Jackson Jr., 48, pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy count. Sandi Jackson, 49, his co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to a separate count of failing to report about $600,000 in income on tax returns.
Read more at the Chicago Tribune.