ELIZABETH CITY — Former First District Congressman Frank Ballance received a four-year prison sentence yesterday for his personal usage of state money, which he had obtained in grants for his non-profit organization when he was a leader in the State Senate. His son, state District Judge Garey Ballance, was also sentenced to nine months in federal prison for failing to file tax returns.
RALEIGH — The pre-sentencing reports for former U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance and his son, state District Judge Garey Ballance, both of Warren County, have been completed; the next step is scheduling of their sentence hearings. Both pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the misuse of state money.
RALEIGH — Former 1st District Congressman Frank Ballance made a total of $53,500 in political contributions from his federal campaign fund in a nine-week period surrounding the signing of a plea agreement on Aug. 30 that required him to make $61,917 in restitution. The agreement, prepared by the U.S. Attorney, required Ballance to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. It also required to make restitution to the state, and to forfeit all assets of the John A. Hyman Memorial Youth Foundation. The political contributions went to the 1st District Democrat Party, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic National Committee, and the Warren County Political Action Committee.
North Carolina's top officials owe some explanations to the public in the Frank Ballance and Margaret Scott Phipps scandals.
