Former Gary Mayor Jerome Prince
Ex-Gary Mayor Jerome Prince gets probation and fine in wire fraud case
Contributed By: The 411 News
Must pay $26,750 fine for using campaign funds to purchase house
Gary’s ex-mayor Jerome Prince was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon following his plea of guilty to an Information charging wire fraud announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Prince was sentenced to 12 months probation and a fine of $26,750.
According to documents in the case, Prince, who served from 2020 to 2023 as Mayor of Gary, Indiana, illegally used approximately $26,750 of his campaign committee funds for a non-campaign purpose of financing the purchase of his personal residence.
“By entering into a plea agreement to the criminal Information, former Mayor Prince demonstrated that he accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “It is in the best interests of our society, the citizens of the Northern District of Indiana, and criminal defendants themselves, when individuals swiftly and completely accept responsibility for their crimes, as Mr. Prince did here. I want to thank the FBI for the thorough investigation which supported this prosecution.”
“Serving the public as mayor is a privilege, not an opportunity to exploit the position for personal gain. This sentence should send a clear message that public officials who betray the trust of their communities will be held accountable for their actions,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI is committed to investigating and uncovering corruption at all levels of government and will continue to work diligently to ensure those who engage in illegal conduct face responsibility for their decisions.”
The United States Attorney continues to urge the public to come forward and contact the United States Attorney’s Office (usainn.pctips@usdoj.gov) or the FBI in Merrillville, Indiana 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) if they have information related to public corruption within the Northern District of Indiana.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff and Philip C. Benson.
Story Posted:01/16/2025
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