On Tuesday former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, 52, was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Campbell will also serve a year on probation, pay a $6,300 fine, and pay more than $60,000 in back taxes. Federal sentencing guidelines called for a 37-month sentence for Campbell. With the sentence, the judge put the final stamp on a six-year-long federal investigation into Campbell’s behavior while he was mayor. Prosecutors claimed he ran his office as a corrupt enterprise, taking cash bribes to fund a lavish lifestyle of gambling and international trips with girlfriends. Prosecutors contended Campbell had evaded paying taxes on about $200,000.
U.S. District Judge Richard Story said there was enough evidence to find that Campbell, Atlanta’s mayor from 1994-2002, accepted more than $50,000 in bribes in 1999 from his longtime friend and golfing buddy Dan DeBardelaben. He scolded Campbell for leading an office riddled with corruption.
“As the trial progressed, I was overcome, almost appalled, by the breadth of misconduct in your administration,” said Story to Campbell. “I am going to send you to prison, and I do not take that lightly. Within my heart I am not sure you have accepted responsibility for what has transpired.”
Gabe Pascarella, a friend of Bill Campbell, testified during the sentencing hearing that Campbell had interfered with the government’s corruption investigation. Pascarella owned a travel agency and kept a credit card account to pay for some of Campbell’s travels with girlfriends. During the trial, he testified that Campbell repaid him in cash for those expenses. The arrangement was set up to keep the affairs from Campbell’s wife.
Under federal law in determining the sentence, Story was able to consider evidence and testimony presented during the trial about Campbell taking bribes, even though he was acquitted on those charges. Juror Renita L. Stowers said she and fellow jurors believed Campbell was corrupt, but couldn’t put the money in his hands. “I’m pleased with how it turned out,” Stowers said. “He deserves his punishment like everybody else. Just because he was the mayor doesn’t mean he should get away with what he done. I think the judge done good.”
Former Atlanta police Deputy Chief Lou Arcangeli was blunt when he commented on the sentence. “The words that come to mind are sordid, hedonistic, squalid, self-centered and selfish — and I voted for him,” Arcangeli said. “There’s a Dirty Dozen of convicted city officials [during his years in office] and he’s the chairman of the board. What a legacy.”
Atlanta, Bill Campbell, investigation, corrupt, bribe, evade, Richard Story, DeBardelaben, Pascarella
