BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – According to the reports, Alabama State Representative John Rogers has agreed to plead guilty in a fraud case involving the Jefferson County Community Service Fund. According to U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona, Rogers will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice. This is in the connection to a scheme to defraud the Jefferson County Community Service Fund.
As part of the guilty plea agreement filed in the start of this week, March 11, Rogers has also agreed to resign from the Alabama House of Representatives. In February 2024, Rogers’ former assistant and companion, Varrie Johnson Kindall, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Rogers and Rep. Fred Plump Jr. to defraud the fund.
An indictment in the case claimed about $400,000 in tax dollars from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund was given to the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League and this run by State Rep. Fred Plump, and the indictment says Plump kicked back almost $200,000 to Rogers and his personal assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall. The prosecutors also claimed Rogers and Johnson tried to bribe a witness in the case not to talk by offering grant money, and tried to persuade the witness to lie to federal investigators.
The indictment also claims Rogers and Johnson cooked up a scheme where Johnson would take full responsibility for the crimes and lie about whether Rogers knew anything about the kickbacks. This was in exchange for Rogers promising to take care of personal issues for Johnson if she went to prison. Later, the prosecutors say Johnson lied to them during a meeting at the U.S. Attorney’s office in May 2023.
The usual penalty for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine and the max penalty for conspiracy to obstruct justice is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.