Reprinted courtesy of the Perry News Herald
Former State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister was released from federal prison on Tuesday, Sept. 5, after serving just 11 months of a 40-month sentence stemming from a federal corruption case -- which included a bribery and extortion scheme that tarnished the reputation of the Third Judicial Circuit.
Officials with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) confirmed Siegmeister's release.
"For privacy, safety and security reasons, we do not provide additional information on individuals who are no longer in our custody," said Donald Murphy with the BOP Office of Public Affairs.
The former state attorney, who was permanently disbarred by the Florida Bar Association, was released under the "First Step Act" signed into law by former President Donald Trump in December of 2018.
The act was the "culmination of a bi-partisan effort to improve criminal justice outcomes, as well as to reduce the size of the federal prison population while also creating mechanisms to maintain public safety."
Under the act, federal inmates can earn up to 54 days of "good time credit" for every year of their imposed sentence, rather than for every year of their sentence served. They can also earn time credits for participating in and completing Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction programs or Productive Activities and receive credit for time incarcerated before sentencing.
Facing a maximum combined sentence of 129 years in prison if convicted of all 11 counts filed against him, the disgraced former state attorney eventually pled guilty to four counts in February of 2022, including: conspiracy to use a facility of commerce for unlawful activity, conspiracy to commit extortion, wire fraud and tax fraud.
In October of 2022, Siegmeister was sentenced to just over three years in prison for the scheme in which he received bribes and personal gain, including money and property, in return for favorable handling of criminal charges.
Siegmeister's three-year, four-month sentence was significantly less than the 48-year maximum sentence he faced after pleading guilty to multiple federal felonies, as well as a "downward departure" from the sentencing guideline recommendation of 57 to 71 months.
The former state prosecutor for Madison County and six other counties that make up the Third Judicial Circuit was elected in 2013 and served until his resignation in 2019, when he abruptly resigned prior to the end of his term, citing his pending divorce as the reason.
Siegmeister was arrested in Arizona on Feb. 26, 2021 – just two days after a federal grand jury handed down indictments against him and former Dixie County attorney Michael O'Steen for bribery and extortion.
O'Steen was sentenced to 44 months for his role in the extortion scheme, and remains in prison according to DOP records. As part of O'Steen's sentence, the court entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $60,000, which are proceeds of the extortion offense, and ordered O'Steen to pay a $45,000 fine.
As part of Siegmeister's sentence, the court entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $518,803.30, which are proceeds from the wire fraud offense in which he defrauded the estate of "L.T." in 2015 and 2016 while serving as his guardian.
As part of his sentencing, Siegmeister was ordered to participate in a 500-hour intensive, residential substance abuse program. He was also ordered to get mental health treatment.
Siegmeister now faces three years of supervised release, during which he can't commit another crime, unlawfully possess a controlled substance or use an illegal controlled substance.
He also faces two periodic drug tests, including one in the next two weeks. Siegmeister will also participate in substance abuse and mental health treatment programs during his supervised release.
Former Madison County attorney Ernest Page IV, who was also involved in the scheme, was previously sentenced to six months imprisonment on Sept. 6, 2022, for conspiracy to bribe Siegmeister in connection with the resolution of his client's pending criminal cases. Page was released in May 2023.