Former California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, convicted of misusing campaign funds, has been granted a delay in serving his 11-month prison sentence due to the coronavirus outbreak.
NBC News reported that federal court records show he was due to surrender on May 29 to start serving his time. But U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Whelan on Thursday granted a motion clearing the way for him to surrender to federal prison authorities on or before Jan. 4.
In court records, both prosecutors and Hunter’s lawyers said the delay was “due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the unknown impacts the disease will have in the coming months.”
Hunter was sentenced on March 17 after pleading guilty to stealing campaign funds and spending the money on everything from outings with friends to his daughter’s birthday party. He resigned from Congress in January.
NBC News noted the threat of coronavirus infections has pushed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to release some inmates to home confinement.
About 2,646 federal inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. Forty-four federal inmates have died from the virus.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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