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Dispensing his own brand of amnesty except his kickback didn’t come from the Chamber of Commerce.
Via WISTV
Former Lexington County Sheriff James Metts appeared before a judge Tuesday in an attempt at a second plea deal. The federal judge accepted the plea but has to review the agreement before he makes a final decision on a sentence.
The disgraced ex-sheriff pleaded guilty to a charge of helping to harbor illegal aliens.
Much of the plea agreement is the same as one submitted earlier this month, but this most recent agreement makes no recommendation on a sentence, including leaving the possibility of prison time on the table. The government has agreed that a sentence of three years of probation was an appropriate resolution for Metts, but Judge Terry L. Wooten will make the final determination.
The charge carries a possible 10-year prison sentence, but the recommended range is 10 to 16 months.
The first proposal, denied by Wooten in mid-December, would have allowed Metts to plead guilty to one of 10 counts of bribery in exchange for a sentence recommendation of three years of probation, meaning he would avoid serving time behind bars.
Metts is charged with taking bribes from a restaurant owner in exchange for preventing the deportation of some of his employees who were in the country illegally.