Ex-Rep. Jenrette Begins Abscam Term
Former Rep. John Jenrette of South Carolina entered a federal prison Friday to begin serving his two-year sentence for bribery and conspiracy convictions stemming from the FBI’s Abscam investigation.
Jenrette, who was under a court order to surrender at the Atlanta penitentiary by 2 p.m., arrived shortly before the deadline, prison spokesman William Noonan said.
He will be housed at the Atlanta Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security facility located outside the security walls at the penitentiary in south Atlanta.
Jenrette, 48, was among seven members of Congress convicted of corruption charges stemming from the Abscam “sting” operation in which the FBI secretly videotaped meetings between Jenrette and undercover agents posing as representatives of a wealthy Arab sheik in need of immigration help.
He was convicted of taking a $50,000 bribe.
Earlier this year, he decided to serve his sentence, although his case is still on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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