Former Alabama House of Representatives member, Fred Plump, has been sentenced to a year in federal prison on Friday for his involvement in a kickback scheme that resulted in the misappropriation of Jefferson County tax funds.
Plump admitted to obstructing justice and conspiring to take almost $400,000 of grant money from the Jefferson County Community Action Fund for youth sports. He then gave half of this amount to former lawmaker John Rogers and his romantic interest, Varrie Johnson. As per the court records, Rogers convinced Plump to participate in the kickback scheme, and Johnson, who worked for Rogers, helped facilitate the grant and cashed the checks that Plump gave her.
During the sentencing, it was revealed that Plump did not benefit personally from the money. Instead, it was directed towards his youth baseball organization, Piper Davis, which has been dedicated to providing year-round services to over 15,000 inner-city children for the past 30 years.
With tears streaming down his face, Plump shook his head in remorse as he apologized to the judge for his actions. He expressed deep shame and regret, acknowledging that getting involved in the crime and being unfaithful to his wife with one of the codefendants were the worst decisions he had ever made. According to his attorneys, these actions have had a significant impact on his life, and he deeply regrets his involvement.
During his 40-year decorated military career, the man described by attorneys and character witnesses fought in Vietnam and the Tet Offensive. He also served as a fire medic in Jefferson County for decades and founded Piper Davis, an organization that serves at-risk youth. The kickback scheme was a significant departure from his otherwise illustrious career.
According to former Jefferson County Treasurer, Mike Miles, the mayor he worked for was renowned for being the best medic in the area and had saved hundreds of lives.
According to the government, Plump should receive a custodial sentence as he failed to cooperate with their investigation. Instead of recording conversations with his codefendants, he informed them about the investigation, which greatly hindered their efforts.
According to Richard Jaffe, the attorney representing Plump, the sentence they received was largely influenced by the fact that the money coach diverted funds to Piper Davis and did not personally gain from it. Jaffe expressed relief, stating that the punishment Fred faced could have been twice as severe.
In late August, Plump is scheduled to report to prison for accepting nearly $200,000 from the JCCAF, which he is required to repay.
