Former Lawmaker Sentenced to Year in Prison for Role in Kickback Scheme

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—A former Alabama lawmaker was sentenced Friday to a year in federal prison for his role in a kickback scheme involving state grant funds.
U.S. District Judge Scott Coogler sentenced former state Rep. Fred Plump to 12 months and a day in prison and three years of supervised release. Plump, a Democrat from Fairfield, last year pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges and resigned from the Alabama House of Representatives as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.
The charges relate to before Plump took office. Prosecutors said Plump paid kickbacks from state grant funds allocated to his youth sports group by then-Rep. John Rogers. Plump took about $200,000 of the $400,000 that was allocated to his Piper Davis Youth Baseball League and gave it to Rogers’ legislative assistant, according to the plea agreement….