Alabama’s lawmakers may see one of their longest-serving members heading to federal prison. This news comes from Birmingham, Alabama.
According to court records, John Rogers, who served in the Alabama House for 40 years, pleaded guilty to his involvement in a federal kickback scheme that misused Jefferson County tax dollars, resulting in his last term ending early.
According to prosecutors, Rogers has violated the terms of his plea agreement, which would have allowed him to serve a 14-month sentence on home confinement. As a result, they are now recommending that he serve his sentence in prison.
BACKGROUND:
The focus of the case is on the Jefferson County Community Action Fund, which imposed fresh taxes in 2017 with the aim of financing school construction and providing assistance to students in the area. Legal documents reveal that two legislators, namely John Rogers and Fred Plump, together with Rogers’ partner and love interest Varrie Johnson Kindall, steered grant funds towards Plump’s youth baseball team, Piper Davis, over multiple years. As a result, Plump would pay back fifty percent of the proceeds to Rogers and Kindall, who would then use the money to cover their expenses.
According to court documents, prosecutors accused Rogers of diverting $200,000 from a fund meant to support inner-city kids’ baseball education to support himself and his lover. In their sentencing memorandum, prosecutors stated that Rogers’ actions not only caused harm to Piper Davis but also deprived other deserving charities of much-needed funds. The prosecution strongly criticized Rogers for prioritizing his greed over his promise to help the community.
As per the terms of his plea agreement, Rogers had to acknowledge his involvement in the conspiracy, which was clearly outlined in the court documents he signed. This included confessing that he had persuaded Kindall to take complete responsibility for the kickback scheme and deceive the investigators by claiming that he had no role to play. In return, Rogers had promised to pay off her mortgage and look after her children in case she was imprisoned. According to the records, Kindall had agreed to the proposal and had informed the agents in May 2023 that Rogers was unaware of her receiving kickbacks from Plump.
The defense attorney representing Rogers has filed an objection to the presentence investigative report, which is not available to the public. The objection states that the defendant has no recollection of making the promise in question. However, the defendant does acknowledge that the information is included in the factual basis of his plea agreement and that he signed the document, admitting in court that it was substantially correct.
According to the government, Rogers’ recent filing and assertion have violated the plea agreement, which now requires him to serve his 14-month sentence in prison.
According to Rogers’ attorney, the claim that Rogers violated his agreement is unfounded. The attorney has filed a motion requesting a hearing to determine if the plea agreement will be enforced before sentencing.
The sentencing of Rogers is set for July 30, and the government is requesting him to pay nearly $400,000 in restitution and forfeiture fees.
