State Representative Ron Sailor Jr. Pleads Guilty

Atlanta Georgia - State Representative Ron Sailor Jr. pleaded guilty on March 18, 2008 to laundering and attempting to launder what he believed to be drug proceeds. Sailor took possession and agreed to launder approximately $375.000 of cash from the sale of cocaine. Ron Sailor Jr. is the Representative of District 93 in the Georgia General Assembly. Sailor was confronted by the FBI in December of 2007 and has been cooperating in an ongoing public investigation he is also resigning from his position as a state Representative.

According to United States Attorney David E. Nahmias and the information presented in court: On November 10, 2007, State Representative Ron Sailor JR. met with a law enforcement employee using the name "jay" at a metro Alanta hotel. "Jay" was working under the direction of the FBI. Representative Sailor requested the meeting with "Jay" believing that he was a drug dealer from the Florida area. Representative Ron Sailor Jr. was hoping that "Jay" could provide him with $300,000 in drug proceeds so that he "Sailor" could launder the proceeds for a fee. During the meeting Representative Sailor told "Jay" that he could launder money and had done so in the past. He offered "Jay" various scenarios for laundering the drug money to make it appear that it came from a legitimate source. "Jay" who was working undercover for the FBI asked Representative Sailor if he was sure he wanted to go forward with the criminal activity's and Representative Sailor agreed and negotiated a fee of 10 percent.

Representative Sailor and "Jay" had a second meeting about an hour later and Representative Sailor took possession of $25.000 in cash, that he "Sailor" thought to be proceeds from the sale of cocaine. On November 30, 2007, Sailor met with "Jay" and gave him a certified check in the amount of $22,000. The check concealed the true source of the funds by falsely stating that "Jay" was being paid for contracting work at a church with which Sailor said he is associated. In fact, no such church existed and "Jay" the undercover employee with the FBI had never performed such work.

In a second series of meetings and telephone conversations, Repersenative Sailor agreed to launder another $50,000 in drug proceeds for a fee of 10 percent. On December 1, 2007, the undercover employee "Jay" met with Representative Ron Sailor at a metro Atlanta hotel and delivered $50,000 in cash, which was again represented to be drug money. On December 4, 2007, Representative Sailor contacted "Jay" the undercover employee and told him that he was prepared to return the laundered funds and requested an additional $300,000 to launder. On December 6, 2007, Repersenative Sailor flew to Florida, where he met with "Jay" and gave him two checks, in the amounts of $15,000 and $30,000, drawn on the accounts of separate local Atlanta businesses and signed by a third party. Both checks falsely indicated that they were for a business loan.

Representative Sailor and "Jay" then arranged to engage in a third laundering transaction. On December 19, 2007, Repersenative Sailor and the undercover employee "Jay" met in an Atlanta area hotel, where Representative Sailor was given $300,000 in cash, which was again believed by Sailor to be drug proceeds. Not long after taking the money, Representative Sailor was arrested by the FBI. he admitted to the agents that he had laundered the $25,000 and $50,000 cash that he believed to be drug proceeds and that he intended to launder the additional $300,000 cash that he had just received.

Representative Sailor could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders, as well as the extent of Sailor's truthful cooperation. SAILOR also has agreed to forfeit all property involved in and traceable to his crime, including $8,000 in commissions and fees paid to him for the money laundering.

According to United States Attorney David E. Nahmias “This case did not start as a public corruption matter, but rather as a drug money laundering investigation—part of our diligent efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute significant drug traffickers and money launderers, whomever they may be, Rep. Sailor's actions in that regard were very disturbing, because he was a person entrusted by his community with enacting the law, who instead violated the law in a serious way, seeking to assist the drug traffickers who sell their poison in our communities. Shortly after he was confronted by the FBI, however, Mr. Sailor decided to do the right thing by admitting his misconduct and agreeing to cooperate regarding potential criminal activity by others. As a result, we now have an active public corruption investigation. With respect to that investigation, all I will say at this time the following: As Mr. Sailor and others have learned, people in public office who have violated the law and the publics trust should know that their situation will be much better if they come knocking on the FBI’s door than if the FBI comes knocking on theirs.”

 FBI Atlanta Greg Jones the Special Agent in charge said, “The trust of the people in its elected officials is the foundation that our system operates on and depends on. This trust was broken. The willingness demonstrated by Rep. Sailor to become involved in this type of criminal activity is disturbing to say the least. This investigation, and its successful outcome, was the result of close coordination among those involved at the FBI and with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Because of the nature of these cases, the FBI will continue to pursue corruption in government wherever the investigation takes us.”

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the FBI.

Assistant United States Attorneys Bill Thomas and Elizabeth Hathaway are prosecuting the case.

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