Ex-St. Johns Commissioner Pleads Guilty -- Thomas Manuel Faces Up To 10 Years In Jail, $200,000 Fine
POSTED: Friday, July 31, 2009
UPDATED: 1:30 pm EDT July 31, 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A former St. Johns County commissioner who denied for the past year that he accepted bribes while in office pleaded guilty Friday to one of two counts of bribery.
Thomas Manuel was chairman of the commission in June 2008 when he was indicted by federal prosecutors and suspended from office by Gov. Charlie Crist.
According to the indictment, Manuel "knowingly and corruptly solicited, demanded, accepted and agreed to accept" $10,000 and $50,000 bribes for his influence in business pending before the St. Johns County Commission.
In federal court Friday, Manuel pleaded guilty to accepting a $10,000 bribe from a developer. If the plea agreement is accepted, the second count would be dropped.
Manuel could face up to 10 years in prison and a $200,000 fine on the bribery charge.
The bribes allegedly occurred between April 10 and June 5, 2008, and were investigated by the FBI's Public Corruption Unit.
Manuel never made a public comment after his indictment, but told reporter Jennifer Bauer in June 2008 that he believed the investigation was politically motivated.
Manuel, 64, of Ponte Vedra Beach, is retired after careers in the U.S. Navy, banking and running a travel agency.
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