NEW ORLEANS – Former State Senator Derrick Shepherd was sentenced to 37 months in jail and given three years of supervised probation and was fined $45,000 for his role in a federal corruption case Thursday.
Shepherd, who was once was a rising star in local and state politics,stood in federal court in a navy blue prison outfit, his feet shackled, his hands cuffed to a thick chain around his waist.
Family members cried as Shepherd was given his sentence by Judge Carl Barbier.
"Justice has been served," said his father, Eddie Shepherd. "He's remorseful, and he accepted the decision the judge handed down."
Sixteen months ago, Shepherd pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was charged with helping associate Gwendolyn Moyo launder construction bond premiums from companies with frozen accounts.
"I apologize," said Shepher. "I know I've used poor judgement, and disappointed the court and the community."
Judge Barbier noted he and Shepherd both graduated from West Jefferson High school, and said "You've brought shame to yourself, your family, your community."
"He was upbeat about it," Eddie Shepherd said. "He was looking forward tom getting this over with, putting it behind him, and coming back and trying to serve the community."
"I'm proud of my brother still today, and I love him very much," said his sister Robin Shepherd. "He's a good man, and people do make mistakes, and everybody's deserving of a second chance."
But U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said the message is clear.
"The message is that if you violate the public trust, if you violate the law, especially if you violate federal law, there will be a severe price to be paid," Letten said.
Letten said the public corruption cases already prosecuted or now underway are encouraging people to report what they see.
"The key to it all, not just that they call, but at the end of the day, they see results from their call," said FBI Special Agent In Charge David Welker.
"There'll never be an end to corruption, but we believe that we are beginning to turn an important corner here, just beginning," Letten said.
"Derrick is gonna be just fine," said his mother, Margie Richardson. "He may have fallen for a moment, but we fall down, and God is always going to pick us up. We will get up, we will be back. This is not how the story ends. This is a comma, not the period."
