Alabama state representative takes plea deal for criminal charges, resigns News
© WikiMedia (Carol M. Highsmith)
Alabama state representative takes plea deal for criminal charges, resigns

Alabama State House Representative Fred Plump Jr. agreed to resign from the Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday as part of a plea deal for federal criminal charges.

Plump was charged with wire fraud and obstruction of justice under 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2), respectively. Plump, in addition to resigning from his position as a state representative, agreed to pay $200,000 in restitution to the Jefferson County Community Service Fund.

Plump’s criminal charges stem from a kickback scheme involving the Jefferson County Community Fund and the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League. Plump is the executive director of the youth baseball league.

Alabama Act No. 2015-226 established a tax “to benefit the public welfare and enhance the education of the children of Jefferson County.” The act also established a commission to ensure that the money was spent properly. Each legislator was allocated $100,000 per year to use for the public welfare.

Between 2018 and 2022, a legislator on the commission allocated Piper Davis Youth Baseball League $400,000, during which time Plump gave $200,000 to his mistress, who was also that legislator’s assistant. The legislator’s assistant conveyed to Plump that the money would be used to fund a dance team which the committee would not approve.

Plump’s plea deal states that he was aware that the legislator’s assistant did not fund dance teams and that “Plump understood if he did not give half of the money back to them, that [the legislator] would not direct fund money to Piper Davis.”

Alabama State Representative John Rogers told AL.com that he is the legislator mentioned in the plea deal, although Rogers denies receiving any money from the arrangement with Plump.

Plump was interviewed by the FBI in March 2023 as part of their investigation into the kickback scheme, after which Plump texted his mistress “Code Red” and told her she needed to “find a dance team if she did not have one.” Plump’s actions after the FBI interview caused his obstruction of justice charge.

 

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