Tag: Probation

State Rep. Alex Kolodin Sentenced to 18 Months Probation by Arizona Bar for Filing 2020 Election Lawsuits

Rachel Alexander
Alex Kolodin

The State Bar of Arizona has been aggressively pursuing disciplinary charges against attorneys who challenged alleged election irregularities and illegalities in 2020 and 2022. Proceedings against State Representative Alex Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) recently concluded with Kolodin accepting an agreement that would allow him to keep his law license, instead serving probation for 18 months.

The Arizona Bar charged Kolodin (pictured above) with several rules often used to disbar conservative attorneys. As part of the agreement, Kolodin admitted his actions violated Rule 42, ERs 3.1 and 8.4(d) of the Arizona Bar’s Rules of Professional Conduct. ER 3.1 prohibits attorneys from bringing “frivolous” lawsuits, and 8.4(d) prohibits attorneys from “engag[ing] in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.”

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Ramaswamy: Plea Deal Keeping Hunter Biden out of Prison Is a ‘Joke,’ the ‘Perfect Fig Leaf’

M.D. Kittle

GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is blasting a plea deal announced Tuesday that will keep President Joe Biden’s troubled son out of prison on two federal misdemeanor counts of failing to pay his taxes and a separate felony charge of possession of a firearm by a known drug user.

Multiple news outlets are reporting that Hunter Biden and his attorneys have reached an agreement in which U.S. Attorney David Weiss would recommend probation on the tax violations. The younger Biden also would avoid prison time on the gun possession charge, “subject to a pretrial diversion agreement,” his attorney said in a statement.

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Wisconsin Representatives Introduce Victims’ Rights Measure

Bradley Vasoli

Two state legislators from Wisconsin are urging colleagues to back their bill to strengthen crime victims’ rights to restitution in their state. 

The bill authored by State Representatives Shae Sortwell (R-Gibson) and Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) would halt the restoration of felons’ voting rights until after the perpetrators pay all fines, court fees, and victim restitution. In the Badger State, a convict loses his or her right to vote until he or she serves all prison time and completes any parole or probation that a court imposes. But that person may again vote before meeting his or her legal monetary obligations. 

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Yuma County Former Democratic Official and Neighbor Sentenced in Ballot-Harvesting Scheme

Rachel Alexander

The former Democratic mayor of San Luis, Arizona, and a neighbor were sentenced Thursday for their involvement in ballot harvesting. Guillermina Fuentes was sentenced to two years of probation and 30 days in jail. Alma Yadira Juarez, who was caught handling the ballots with the former mayor, was sentenced to a year of probation. 

Prosecutors said Fuentes “appears to have been caught on video running a modern-day political machine seeking to influence the outcome of the municipal election in San Luis.” The documentary 2,000 Mules from filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza and the election integrity group True the Vote spotlighted ballot harvesting in Yuma County, featuring testimony from an anonymous whistleblower there. 

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Cochise County Woman Sentenced to Probation for Casting Her Deceased Mother’s Ballot

Neil Jones

A Cochise County Judge has sentenced a woman to probation for casting her dead mother’s early ballot. 
A Cochise County Judge sentenced a woman to probation for illegally casting her dead mother’s early ballot in 2020.

“Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced that 56-year-old Krista Michelle Conner of Cochise County was sentenced today (June 6, 2022) by Judge Timothy Dickerson of Cochise County Superior Court to three (3) years of supervised probation on one count of illegal voting, a class 6 felony, for illegally casting the early ballot of her deceased mother during the November 2020 general election. Conner’s voter registration was also revoked and may be reinstated upon completion of probation. As a condition of that probation, Conner was ordered to pay $890.00 in fines and surcharges and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service,” according to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).
“Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced that 56-year-old Krista Michelle Conner of Cochise County was sentenced today (June 6, 2022) by Judge Timothy Dickerson of Cochise County Superior Court to three (3) years of supervised probation on one count of Illegal Voting, a Class 6 felony, for illegally casting the early ballot of her deceased mother during the November 2020 general election. Conner’s voter registration was also revoked and may be reinstated upon completion of probation. As a condition of that probation, Conner was ordered to pay $890.00 in fines and surcharges and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service,” according to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

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Governor Wolf Wants Less Money for Pennsylvania Corrections Than Department Requested

Bradley Vasoli

Governor Tom Wolf (D-PA) is recommending that lawmakers fund state prisons at a lower level in future years than the state’s Department of Corrections has requested.

At a budget hearing Wednesday, members of the state House Appropriations Committee questioned Acting Secretary of Corrections George Little about the contrast between the governor’s projections and the department’s own outlook.

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Bill Proposes Sweeping Reforms on Incarceration Alternatives and Probation Stipulations

Corinne Murdock

The General Assembly is considering sweeping criminal justice reforms, namely concerning incarceration alternatives and probation. The proposed legislative changes, filed on the same day by State Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) and State Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), are lengthy. 

In part, the bill would expand those who qualify for community-based incarceration alternatives addressing substance abuse or mental health rehabilitation. It would also provide new avenues for individuals who break probation to have their probation reinstated (2 years at most), receive incarceration alternatives, or be shielded from extensive sentencing. It also caps probation sentencing to 8 years for felony offenses.

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Growing Number of Felons Strain Probation System in Minnesota

Admin

by Noell Evans   The number of people on probation in Minnesota has increased by 5,000 over the past five years. In 2018, more than 46,000 residents in the state were under some level of community supervision. But the state’s probation system has not grown at the same rate. It’s a concern that the state recognizes but a solution remains elusive. “Caseload sizes are already above the recommended standards and the number of persons under felony probation supervision continues to increase,” Sarah Fitzgerald, director of Communications and Media Relations for the Minnesota Department of Corrections, said. The American Probation and Parole Association recommended standards in 2011 for supervision agents are 20 to 1 for intensive felons, 50 to 1 for moderate to high felonies and 200 to 1 for low parolees. In Minnesota, the ratio is 66 to 1 for the most intensive parolees and 104 to 1 for moderate. “Minnesota has a long history of using community supervision as an alternative to incarceration,” Fitzgerald said. “While there are 10,000 incarcerated individuals, the state supervises over 100,000 individuals in the community. This practice of using community supervision saves taxpayer dollars and produces better justice system results through keeping people connected…

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