Former Compton Mayor; City Manager Go to Prison for Misappropriating Public Funds

Former Compton Mayor; City Manager Go
to Prison for Misappropriating Public Funds

May 14, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
(213) 974-3525

COMPTON – A Compton Superior Court judge today turned down a request by that city’s former mayor, Omar Bradley, to be freed on bail instead of starting a three-year prison term for misappropriating public funds, the District Attorney’s office announced.

The bail request came at the continuation of a lengthy sentencing hearing for Bradley and two others that began yesterday before Judge Jack P. Morgan. Bradley’s sentence was imposed late yesterday. Today, the former city manager also was given a three-year term and a one-time Compton councilman was placed on three years probation with the first year spent in Los Angeles County Jail.

Bradley wanted to be freed on bail pending appeal of his case. He filed a notice of appeal yesterday, immediately after his sentencing. Morgan said no. The judge also turned down a request by the former city manager to be freed on bail pending appeal.

The three former city officials were sentenced during a sometimes contentious and sometimes emotion hearing that started yesterday morning when the judge denied defense requests for a new trial. The judge also made it clear that he believed that the crimes of which the defendants were convicted required him to impose state prison terms, unless he found "unusual" circumstances.

Both Bradley, 46, of Compton, and former City Manager John D. Johnson II, 47, of Fontana, were sentenced to three-year terms. A hearing was scheduled for May 27 to determine the amount of restitution Bradley will be ordered to repay to the city. Deputy District Attorney Kerry White, who with Deputy District Attorney Terry Bork successfully prosecuted the case, said Johnson already had made restitution.

The third defendant, Amen Rahh, 56, of Compton, was placed three years probation and ordered to perform 250 hours of community service work in the South Los Angeles County city. The judge ordered him to spend the first year in jail, but noted that Rahh might be freed as early as today because those sentenced to jail for a year are being released after serving 36 days. Rahh, who was remanded to custody on Feb. 10 when he and the others were convicted, has been in custody 95 days.

The judge also ordered Rahh to make restitution of $8,500 in a scheduled to be worked out by probation officials. The amount Bradley owes is disputed by prosecutors and his attorney. Johnson repaid the some $16,000 he owed the city.

A jury in Morgan’s court on Feb. 10 convicted Bradley and the others one count each of misappropriation of public funds and unauthorized loans of public money. The charges were brought against the defendants on Feb. 27, 2003, in a Los Angeles County Grand Jury indictment. Up until Feb. 10, when all three men were remanded into custody for 90-day diagnostic examinations prior to sentencing, they had remained free on bail.

The same jury also found two other former council members not guilty of the charges.

The funds were misappropriated between Sept. 1, 1999, and Aug. 7, 2002. Prosecutors said the money was used for personal trips and other events for which the city paid.

The case was handled by the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division, which was formed by District Attorney Steve Cooley shortly after he took office in December 1999. Attorneys from PID, as it is called, have successfully prosecuted officials in several cities in Los Angeles County and have several cases either nearing trial or under investigation.

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