Former congressman Mel Reynolds was taken into federal custody Wednesday and has been sent to prison by a federal judge for failing to fulfill the requirements for electronic monitoring.
Reynolds is facing federal tax charges, managed to avoid jail last Thursday after his attorney argued he was not a flight risk and should have more time to find a place to stay.
John Darrah, a U.S. District Judge had given Reynolds several days to find a permanent place to stay where he could undergo home electronic monitoring, but Reynolds came up empty this Wednesday and was taken into custody.
This issue came up to head after Reynolds was arrested last week at the Atlanta airport where he failed to meet the judge’s deadline to return to Chicago from South Africa. Joseph Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago stated that the former Illinois congressman will remain in custody until his trial on June 20 or until he can make suitable living arrangements.
Joseph Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago stated that the former Illinois congressman will remain in custody until his trial on June 20 or until he can make suitable living arrangements.
Reynolds dirty little secret?
Reynolds also told the judge that one location did not want this equipment on the property, where he added that his status as a registered sex offender limits places he can live, such as near schools or playgrounds, so it seems that looking for a place to stay will be kind of rough. Reynolds has pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return. He has residency restrictions due to a 1995 conviction for having had sex with an underage campaign worker.
Reynolds has pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return. He has residency restrictions due to a 1995 conviction for having had sex with an underage campaign worker.
Who is Mel Reynolds?
Reynolds is a Harvard graduated and also a Rhodes Scholar. Later he resigned from his 2nd Congressional District seat in 1995 after being convicted of statutory rape for having sex with a 16-year-old campaign worker, where he served 2 and a half years in prison.
After that, he was convicted in federal court of concealing debts to obtain bank loans and diverting money intended for voter registration drives into his election campaign. For concealing the debts on bank loans and diverting money he was sentenced to 6 and a half years in federal prison and had two years left when then-President Bill Clinton commuted the sentence back in 2001.
Source: Chicago Patch