Former Los Angeles County Supervisor and City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced 42 months in prison for corruption charges.

On March 30, Ridley-Thomas was found guilty of one charge of bribery, one conspiracy charge, a charge of honest services mail fraud and four counts of honest services wire fraud for a 2018 scheme involving former USC dean of social work Marylin Louise Flynn.

“There is simply no justification for monetizing a public office,” District Judge Dale S. Fischer said at the Monday sentencing hearing.

Ridley-Thomas, 68, served on the County Board of Supervisors at the time and the investigation found that he voted in favor of an amendment for a Telehealth contract with the Department of Mental Health at USC, in exchange for his son, Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, being hired at the USC School of Social Work.

In September of 2022, Flynn, 84, pleaded guilty to funneling up to $100,000 of Ridley-Thomas campaign funds through the United Ways of Southern California organization.

Flynn was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest and fined $150,000 for her role in the bribery scheme.

During the sentencing hearing Monday, the former councilman apologized to his family, but continued that he did not commit illegal acts.

Ridley-Thomas was also sentenced to three years on parole after serving his prison sentence.

The charges were presented in October of 2021, after which Ridley-Thomas stepped away from his council duties. Soon after, the council voted to suspend him while the investigation and case was resolved.

In September of 2022, Heather Hutt was appointed by the council to fill the 10th district seat on an interim basis. When Ridley-Thomas was found guilty of the charges, Hutt was appointed to finish the remainder of the term.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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