The former Seminole County tax collector, Joel Greenberg, learned his fate Thursday morning.He was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison. The judge said he will be placed on supervised release for 10 years after his prison sentence is served. This was on the highest end of the sentence guidelines, but still within what the government was asking for.The judge stated that the “violation of public trust” was the driving force behind his sentencing decision and that some of Greenberg’s actions were “truly outrageous.” Greenberg’s lawyers’ argued that he has been experiencing mental health issues, that he had ADHD and bipolar disorder. The judge said this explains some of the behavior but does not justify it. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. “I let you down and I betrayed your trust,” Greenberg apologized during the sentencing hearing. Current Seminole County tax collector J.R Kroll said it is good to “finally” be able to move forward with the trust of the public. Greenberg had pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a scheme investigators say involved him misusing hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars while in office. As for official charges, Greenberg pleaded guilty to a number of them, including sex trafficking of a minor, fraud and stalking.The former Seminole County tax collector has been at the center of many politically connected investigations. Greenberg’s lawyer argued that he has helped with investigations into 24 people for crimes including corruption, election fraud and sex crimes.Five of those people have already been charged, and his lawyer said in court that two more will be sometime in the next month.His attorney had been hoping the judge would give him a lighter sentence than what the government is asking for, which was more than 10 years in prison, but the judge suggested at the hearing Wednesday that he believed that sentence wasn’t enough. Legal expert Richard Hornsby said when it’s not an isolated incident, judges typically weigh that into determining a prison sentence.”I don’t think we can forget the brazenness with which he seemed to engage in these crimes. He was very outspoken. He seemed to not have a concern, as if he felt like he couldn’t be caught or prosecuted. And you know what, I think some of that will come back to bite him at sentencing tomorrow,” Hornsby said.Previous coverage: Joel Greenberg admits to sex trafficking of a minor, agrees to cooperate with fedsGreenberg testifies Jason Brodeur knew about ‘ghost candidate’ schemeSeminole taxpayers to be reimbursed $1.3 million by former Tax Collector Greenberg
The former Seminole County tax collector, Joel Greenberg, learned his fate Thursday morning.
He was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison. The judge said he will be placed on supervised release for 10 years after his prison sentence is served. This was on the highest end of the sentence guidelines, but still within what the government was asking for.
The judge stated that the “violation of public trust” was the driving force behind his sentencing decision and that some of Greenberg’s actions were “truly outrageous.”
Greenberg’s lawyers’ argued that he has been experiencing mental health issues, that he had ADHD and bipolar disorder. The judge said this explains some of the behavior but does not justify it.
He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“I let you down and I betrayed your trust,” Greenberg apologized during the sentencing hearing.
Current Seminole County tax collector J.R Kroll said it is good to “finally” be able to move forward with the trust of the public.
Greenberg had pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a scheme investigators say involved him misusing hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars while in office. As for official charges, Greenberg pleaded guilty to a number of them, including sex trafficking of a minor, fraud and stalking.
The former Seminole County tax collector has been at the center of many politically connected investigations. Greenberg’s lawyer argued that he has helped with investigations into 24 people for crimes including corruption, election fraud and sex crimes.
Five of those people have already been charged, and his lawyer said in court that two more will be sometime in the next month.
His attorney had been hoping the judge would give him a lighter sentence than what the government is asking for, which was more than 10 years in prison, but the judge suggested at the hearing Wednesday that he believed that sentence wasn’t enough.
Legal expert Richard Hornsby said when it’s not an isolated incident, judges typically weigh that into determining a prison sentence.
“I don’t think we can forget the brazenness with which he seemed to engage in these crimes. He was very outspoken. He seemed to not have a concern, as if he felt like he couldn’t be caught or prosecuted. And you know what, I think some of that will come back to bite him at sentencing tomorrow,” Hornsby said.
Previous coverage:
Joel Greenberg admits to sex trafficking of a minor, agrees to cooperate with feds
Greenberg testifies Jason Brodeur knew about ‘ghost candidate’ scheme
Seminole taxpayers to be reimbursed $1.3 million by former Tax Collector Greenberg