Former Florida House Speaker Heads To Jail

April 18, 2009

The former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives was booked into the Leon County Jail Friday afternoon after being indicted by a grand jury on a third-degree felony charge of official misconduct.

sampsonmug.jpgThe Leon County grand jury found that Ray Sampson allowed $6 million in funding go to Northwest State College for what was supposed to be an educational building but turned out to be an airport hanger. The college’s president, Bob Richburg, was also indicted Friday.

Samson ended up wit ha $110,000 a year job at the college, a job that the grand jury discovered was never advertised and was just part-time.

The college was originally scheduled  to get just$1 million in state funds, but it was eventually awarded over $25 million on Sampson’s request, the grand jury found.

Samson was released from the Leon County Jail on his own recognizance Friday afternoon shortly after being booked.

“Because I am innocent of these charges, I will be vindicated at trial,” a statement issued by Samspon said. “As a legislator, I have always worked hard for my constituents and my district to bring needed projects and funding to the Panhandle.”

Pictured: The Leon County Jail mug shot of former Florida House Speaker Ray Sampson taken when he was booked into that facility Friday afternoon.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News