Former Fort Bend County Judge KP George was taken into custody Tuesday after being sentenced to 180 days in jail and fined $5,000 following his March conviction for money laundering.
George whose attorneys had tried unsuccessfully to have his sentencing day put off as long as possible, also was sentenced to five years of probation as part of his felony conviction.
George was found guilty of stealing from campaign donors, tapping his campaign funds for more than $46,500 and using them for a downpayment on a home and for other expenses.
458th District Judge Maggie Jaramillo also sentenced George to a 10-year prison sentence but suspended that and assessed the five years of probation. If George violates the terms of his probation he could be sentenced to the decade in prison. George had asked that a judge, rather than a jury, assess his punishment.
His defense attorney had argued that what George did is a common practice and that he paid back the money he had taken out of campaign funds.
Second Assistant District Attorney Wesley Wittig said after the sentencing: “He was removed from office as a matter of law, but immediately filed a notice of appeal, which stays the removal. He was taken into custody until he can post an appeal bond of $25, 000 on each case. He did so yesterday.
“Since the removal was stayed, the judge signed an order finding it in the public interest to suspend George from office, without pay. This suspension is wholly separate from his other suspension per his civil removal suit filed by a private citizen earlier this year.
“His sentence will not begin until all of his appeals are exhausted, which will likely take over a year or more.
“We are satisfied with the sentence in this case and are confident that the conviction and sentence will stand on appeal. We want to thank the jury and the judge for their diligent attention to this case, and for representing our community to reject the intolerable behavior of a public official we should have been able to trust.”
The ex- County Judge still faces a trial on a misdemeanor charge of identity misrepresentation amid allegations that he created fake social media accounts that at the time he said were racist attacks on him.
These fake messages, allegedly done with his former chief of staff Taral Patel, were to better George’s chances for re-election, investigators have said.
