Former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison

Former Connecticut governor and now twice-convicted felon John Rowland was sentenced to 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton Wednesday.

Rowland will also have to serve three years of probation and pay a $35,000 fine.

The once shining star of state politics was on the fast track to bigger and better things. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1985 and served until 1991. He was elected governor in 1995 and served till 2004.

NBC Connecticut reports that Rowland will report to Otisville prison in New York on June 16 to begin his sentence.

The sentencing comes a decade to the day of Rowland being sentenced on corruption charges from the time when he was the state’s governor, according to the Hartford Courant.

“Hopefully, today’s sentence will deter both this defendant from future criminal behavior and all who may consider ignoring campaign financing laws,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson in a press release. “I want to thank the U.S. Postal Inspectors who diligently investigated this scheme, as well as our trial team who have expertly and fairly prosecuted this case.”

Postal inspectors spent two years investigating the case, said Shelly A. Binkowski, Inspector in Charge for the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

“John Rowland’s conviction and today’s sentence validate that the undertaking was well worth the effort,”she said. “Those who plot in secret to violate the public trust are not immune to the law and, as demonstrated in this case, will be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent for unscrupulous behavior.”

Rowland was sentenced to a year and a day of prison for taking more than $100,000 in gifts and services in 2005.

Rowland was found guilty on all seven federal counts against him in September. Prosecutors asked that he get at least 37 months of prison time, according to the Hartford Courant.

Rowland was charged with violating federal campaign finance laws after he consulted for the Lisa Wilson-Foley campaign in her bid for the U.S. House of Representatives 5th District seat during the 2011-2012 election cycle. Her husband, Brian Foley testified that he hired Rowland through his nursing home company as a consultant in order to keep Rowland’s involvement in the campaign off the books.

Rowland was paid about $35,000 for consulting the Foley’s, according to evidence introduced at the trial.

Wilson-Foley was sentenced to three months of confinement in a halfway house for her part in the scheme. Her husband Foley is awaiting sentencing. They both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make illegal campaign contributions.

Patch file photo