INTHEUNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURTFORTHEDISTRICTOFMARYLANDUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA
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v.
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CRIMINALNO.PJM-U-007S
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JACKBRUCEJOHNSON,
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Defendant.
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*
*******
GOVERNMENT'SSENTENCINGMEMORANDUMFORDEFENDANTJACKBRUCEJOHNSONTheUnitedStatesofAmericarespectfullysubmitsthismemoranduminaidofsentencingofdefendantJackBruceJohnson("JackJohnson"or"theDefendant"),scheduledforDecember6,2011at9:30a.m.TheGovernmenthasreviewedthePre-SentenceReport("PSR")preparedbytheUnitedStatesProbationOfficeandagreeswiththefactualrecitationsandUnitedStatesSentencingGuidelines("USSG")calculationscontainedtherein.JackJohnson'svenalityadverselyaffectedeveryonewholived,workedandtriedtodobusinessinPrinceGeorge'sCounty("theCounty").DuringhiseightyeartenureastheCounty'sleader,JackJohnsoncriminallyandshamelesslyfloutedthepublictrustandabusedhislawfulauthority.Inexchangeforbribepayments,JackJohnsonsteeredmillionsofdollarsinfederalandlocalfundstofavoreddevelopers;disseminatednon-publicCountyinformation;obtainedandfacilitatedstateandlocalapprovalsandpermits;arrangedCountyjobsforundeservingapplicants;awardedmanagementrightsforCountybondfunds;assistedwithlegislationandregulationsregardingliquorstorehours;influencedCountyofficialstoapproveprivatebusinessesseekinggovernmentwork;andsecuredCountycommitmentstoleasepropertyfromdevelopers.In
exchange,asdetailedinhispleaagreementandincorporatedinthePSR,JackJohnsonacceptedbetween$400,000and$1,000,000inbribes.Remarkably,JackJohnson'sknowledgeboththatthenewsmediawasscrutinizingsuspiciouslanddealsandthattheFBIwasinvestigatingvariousallegationsdidnotdeterhimfromcontinuingtoengageinbriberyandoutrightextortion.Thefederalinvestigationprovedthattherumorsweretrue:underJackJohnson'sleadership,governmentinPrinceGeorge'sCountyliterallywasforsale.WhentheDefendantnowasksthisCourttocredithishistoryofpublicservice,heignoresthefactthathewasconvictedofcorruptingtheverypublicofficeforwhichhenowclaimscredit.Indeed,theGovernmentsubmitsthattheDefendant'spervasivecorruptiondiscouragedcompetitionandtransparencyinbusiness,andencouragedgraftandback-roomdealing,whichdeprivedtheCountyofcountlessandsignificanteconomicbenefits.TheDefendant'sassertionthatsomegoodthingswereachievedduringhistenuredoesnotcounterbalancehisbrazenandoverarchingextortion,bribery,fraud,andobstructionofjustice.Inreachingareasonablesentence,theCourtmustproperlyaccountfortheDefendant'ssystematicandpervasivecorruptionofahighpublicoffice.ThismemorandumprovidestheCourtwithadditionaldetailssurroundingthechargedconduct,theamountofbribesacceptedandsoughtbytheDefendant,thevalueofthebenefitsreceivedbythebribepayors,theDefendant'sleadershiproleintheconspiracy,andaddresseshowthosefactsbearupontheCourt'sanalysisofthe18U.S.C.§3553(a)factors.AsoneofthemostegregiousandnotoriousinstancesofcorruptionandobstructionofjusticeinMarylandhistory,theGovernmentsubmitsthatJackJohnson'scriminalconductcallsforaverysignificantsentencethatwillpromoterespectforfederallawanddeterotherpublicofficialsfromengagingincorruptionandobstructingjustice.2
FactualOverview
OnNovember12,2010,theDefendantwasarrestedandchargedbycriminalcomplaintwithviolationsof18U.S.C.§1512(b)(2)(B)(tamperingwithwitnessandevidence)and18U.S.C.§1512(c)(1and2)(destruction,alteration,andfalsificationofrecordsinafederalinvestigation).TheDefendantwassubsequentlyindictedonmultiplecountsofHobbsActconspiracyandsubstantiveHobbsActviolations,inviolationof18U.S.C.§1951,briberyinvolvingagentofaprogramreceivingfederalfunds,inviolationof18U.S.C.§666(a)(I)(B),andwitnessandevidencetampering,inviolationof18U.S.C.§1512(b)(2)(B).OnMay17,2011,theDefendantpleadedguiltytoCountTwo(HobbsAct)andCountEight(witnessandevidencetampering)oftheIndictment.SeePSRat2,~2.AsdetailedintheCriminalComplaint,Indictment,andhispleaagreement,from2002throughDecember2010,theDefendantheldtheelectedpositionofPrinceGeorge'sCountyExecutive.Priorto2002,theDefendantservedastheCounty'selectedState'sAttorney,DeputyState'sAttorney,andspentnearlyadecadeasanattorneyfortheInternalRevenueServiceOfficeofChiefCounsel.SeePSRat22-23.Inearly2006,FBIagentsbeganinvestigatingallegationsofcorruption,campaignfinanceviolations,andtaxfraudrelatedtoseveraldevelopersandtheirrelationshipswithvariousCountyofficials.Theinvestigationuncoveredafar-reachingcorruptionschemecenteredarounda"pay-to-play"cultureintheCounty,orchestratedbytheDefendant,inwhichdevelopersandbusinessownerspaidbribestoJackJohnsonandhissurrogatesinreturnfortheirofficialactioninthevariousofficesoftheCountygovernment.ThebroadscopeoftheDefendant'scriminalconductisdetailedmorefullybelow,andinthepleaagreementsandchargingdocumentsofhisco-conspirators:Leslie3
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