Three people who were caught looting liquor six days after Hurricane Katrina were convicted today, and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
From CNN;
The judge said he wanted to send a message that looting would not be tolerated when he gave the maximum sentence to Coralnelle Little, 36, Rhonda McGowen, 42, and Paul C. Pearson, 36, all of Kenner.
A jury convicted the trio May 2 on a portion of the state's looting law that took effect two weeks before the Aug. 29 storm. The amended law set a three-year minimum sentence, and a maximum of 15 years in prison, for looting during a declared state of emergency.
In somewhat related news, two men who were convicted of bribing a federal official to falsify Katrina contracting documents, received one year in prison and a $5000 fine.
From Boston.com
Mitchell Glen Kendrix, of Memphis, Tenn., and Paul Darrell Nelson of Lisbon, Maine, pleaded guilty on March 21 in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg. Lampton said sentencing was done Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett in Hattiesburg.
Kendrix and Nelson were charged in December with conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official for allegedly making a deal to falsify debris removal documents after Hurricane Katrina.
The two could have been sentenced each to up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
