Reverend Aaron Mobley, Baptist Church Minister In Manchester, Claims Vote Buying Judge Cletus Maricle Is "Christ-Like". Talk About BLASPHEMY!

Ex-Ky. judge, magistrate get prison for vote fraud
By BRETT BARROUQUERE

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- A former judge was sentenced Thursday to more than 26 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to gain power and control politics in an eastern Kentucky county.

U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves said former Clay County Circuit Judge R. Cletus Maricle, 67, headed the conspiracy and therefore got the longest sentence to date in the case.

"Deterrence is a major factor in a case such as this," Reeves said.

Maricle and seven others were convicted in March 2010 of multiple charges, including racketeering, money laundering and voter fraud stemming from the 2002, 2004 and 2006 elections. Later Thursday, Reeves sentenced another defendant, former Clay County Magistrate Stanley Bowling, to 15 years and 10 months.

Maricle, dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, with his feet shackled and his gray and white hair askew, said little during the 45-minute hearing, noting he testified at trial.

"Thank you for that opportunity," Maricle said.

One of his attorneys, Martin Pinales, said multiple issues would be appealed.

Nearly three dozen family members, friends and associates sent Reeves letters asking for leniency for Maricle.

The Rev. Aaron W. Mobley, a Baptist minister in Manchester, described Maricle as a man of compassion, integrity and goodwill and wrote that he respected Maricle for his "Christ-likeness."

"He has been a pillar to this community and to his church," Mobley wrote. "This community was better because of him."

Prosecutors have described the men's efforts as going beyond vote-buying toward an attempt to control Clay County. Jurors ordered them to surrender $3.4 million in assets as proceeds from the criminal conspiracy.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman said Bowling was essential in the conspiracy to fix elections.

"He was absolutely a crucial cog in that wheel," Parman said. "What we have here is organized crime."

The judge agreed, saying the scheme would not have advanced far without Bowling.

Bowling declined to speak during his one-hour hearing.

Reeves recommended that Bowling, who suffers from multiple medical conditions, serve his time at a federal medical facility near his eastern Kentucky home.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen C. Smith told Reeves that the group Maricle headed, which also involved elections commissioners, a former county clerk and school superintendent, allowed crime to flourish in Clay County, a rural area of about 24,000 people nearly 100 miles southeast of Lexington.

As part of the conspiracy, more than 8,000 people were paid $50 each for their votes in one election, and 150 votes were stolen by changing the voting machines, Smith said.

"In the 21st century, we would think that would be unheard of," Smith said. "In Clay County, they found a way to do it."

Smith also listed a series of large drug cases prosecuted in federal court, telling Reeves that one drug dealer's house saw more business than the local McDonald's. Smith said those cases were a product of the "complete culture of lawlessness" Maricle and his co-defendants produced in the county.

Reeves rejected a request to sentence Maricle to between 31 years and 33 years in prison, a sentence above that recommended by federal sentencing guidelines. Reeves said Maricle has done some good deeds in the past, including raising several family members.

Reeves also chastised voters in Clay County who sold their voting rights but weren't charged.

"There's a lot of folks who should look in the mirror tonight and be ashamed of what they've done," Reeves said.