Mark Brant
These are unusual circumstances.
Detroit Free Press Investigative columnist M.L. Elrick writes that just-elected Monroe County Commissioner Mark Brant is set to report Friday to federal prison in Morgantown, W. Va., to begin serving an 18-month sentence, of which he'll likely serve at least one year of that behind bars.
He was also fined $500,000 and agreed to give up the more than $300,000 the feds found in his Monroe home after he pleaded guilty to "maintaining a drug-involved premises," Elrick writes.
What he actually admitted to was leasing land to people who grew marijuana they sold in Ohio, in violation of federal law.
Elrick writes:
When Brant, who was serving as chairman of the commission, finally came clean in September that he was facing a potential prison sentence, Richardville told me: "We were like WHAT!?!"
Brant resigned from the commission on Oct. 1. But, because it was too late for Brant to take his name off the ballot (even if he had wanted to), and it was too late for other candidates to get their name on the ballot, Brant was elected to a fourth term on Nov. 5 with a staggering 90% of the vote.
On Monday, he took the oath of office for his new four-year term.
