Former Prince George’s County Council member Mel Franklin was sentenced by Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Mark W. Crooks to five years in jail for a theft charge, with all but one year suspended.
Franklin, who represented the county’s District 9 for two terms before being twice elected countywide, also received a five-year sentence for perjury with all five years suspended.
His sentence will begin on Nov. 30.
The former councilman will also serve three years of supervised probation.
Once released from jail, Franklin will be required to make annual restitution payments of $44,389 during each of the three years of his probation that will be distributed to the Excellence in Education Foundation for PGCPS Inc., a Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) nonprofit that awarded $200,000 in scholarships in the most recent school year.
Franklin apologized in a two-page letter to the judge. He pleaded guilty in August to taking more than $133,000 from his campaign account for personal spending.
“I do not believe the violations of the public trust that I committed are the end of my story. I will be a better, more faithful person and a better Christian. I will work to eliminate the problems I have had with alcohol abuse. And I will work every day to rebuild the trust that I destroyed for so many people who believed in me,” read Franklin’s letter.
In addition to apologizing to his constituents and the court, he also admitted he was remorseful to his family.
“I particularly regret the poor example I have set for my two children, Jamel and Alexis. I love them more than anything in this world and will do everything in my power to be a far better father to them than I have been before,” he said.
Bruce Marcus, Franklin’s defense attorney, submitted more than two dozen letters from elected officials, family members, friends and community leaders to show the former council member’s community concerns and legislative impact.
