Former Prince George’s County Councilman Jamel Franklin was sentenced to a year in prison for embezzling campaign funds to support a lavish lifestyle during a court appearance in Anne Arundel County on Wednesday.

The sentence, handed down by Judge Mark Crooks, came after Franklin admitted to misusing more than $130,000 in donations to his re-election campaigns.

Moments before his sentencing, Franklin expressed deep remorse, apologizing for his actions over the past decade.

Judge Crooks ordered him to report to jail the day after Thanksgiving, followed by three years of probation.

During the hearing, Franklin’s attorney, Bruce Marcus, argued for leniency, citing his client’s contributions to Prince George’s County as a counselor and attorney.

Marcus stated that Franklin’s career and law license were already lost and shared Franklin’s intentions to start a business to support his two children.

However, the prosecution successfully argued for a one-year prison sentence, describing Franklin as a “sophisticated and determined criminal” who “should have known better” as a lawyer and public servant.

Court documents have been revealed Franklin used campaign funds from 2020 to 2023 for personal expensesincluding international and domestic travel, hotel stays, restaurant bills, cosmetic procedures, shopping and rent payments. Prosecutors said he falsified reports to the State Board of Elections to cover the expenses.

Judge Crooks stressed that Wednesday’s sentence was about restoring public confidence and showing the public that there are real consequences for this type of criminal behaviour.