Alabama’s veteran legislator could potentially face a prison sentence, according to reports.
According to court records, John Rogers had a 40-year tenure serving in the Alabama House. However, his last term was cut short after he pleaded guilty for his involvement in a federal kickback scheme that misused Jefferson County tax dollars.
According to prosecutors, Rogers has violated his plea agreement and should now serve his sentence of 14 months in prison instead of being confined to home.
INTRODUCTION
The focus of this case centers on the Jefferson County Community Action Fund, which imposed fresh taxes in 2017. The purpose was to aid in school construction and provide support for students in the area. According to court documents, two state legislators, John Rogers and Fred Plump, in collaboration with Rogers’ associate and love interest, Varrie Johnson Kindall, steered grant money towards Plump’s youth baseball league, Piper Davis. This arrangement continued for several years, during which Plump would return half of the proceeds to Rogers and Kindall. Kindall would then use the funds to cover their expenses, as evidenced by the checks she cashed.
According to prosecutors, Rogers did not use the fund’s money to fulfill his promise of helping inner city kids learn to play baseball. Instead, he stole $200,000 to support himself and his lover. This act of greed not only deprived other worthy charities but also contributed to the destruction of Piper Davis. In Rogers’ sentencing memorandum, prosecutors stated, “Rogers helped destroy Piper Davis and deprived other worthy charities to satiate his greed.”
As part of his plea agreement, Rogers had to acknowledge his involvement in the conspiracy as outlined in the court documents he signed. This included confessing to convincing Kindall to take the blame for the kickback operation and falsely claiming he was not involved. In return, he promised to cover her mortgage and look after her children in case she was incarcerated. According to the records, Kindall agreed to the arrangement and informed investigators in May 2023 that Rogers had no knowledge of her receiving kickbacks from Plump.
In response to the presentence investigative report, Rogers’ defense attorney filed an objection stating that the defendant has no memory of making the promise in question. However, the defendant acknowledges that this information was included in the factual basis of his plea agreement, which he signed and admitted to in open court as being substantially correct. It should be noted that the presentence investigative report is not available to the public.
According to the government, Rogers’ filing and statement constitute a violation of the plea agreement, and therefore, he should be obligated to serve the 14-month sentence in prison.
The attorney representing Rogers has refuted the claim that his client breached the agreement and has filed a motion seeking a hearing before the sentencing to assess whether the plea agreement will be upheld.
The government has requested that Rogers pay almost $400,000 in restitution and forfeiture fees, with Rogers’ sentencing set for July 30.
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