Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Friday, July 17, 2009

Jake Jabs Daughter Sentenced.

The more interesting story is how the prosecutor only got 2 1/2 years for 6 1/2 ounces of cocaine.
The Denver Post
BILLINGS, Mont.—A former Carbon County prosecutor who hosted cocaine parties and tried to scuttle at least one drug case to cover up his activities will spend 2 1/2 years in federal prison.

Robert Eddleman, 51, was sentenced Thursday on a single count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. His companion and co-defendant, Terri Jabs Kurth, 44, was sentenced to eight months in prison and another four months in home detention on an identical charge.

Eddleman resigned in March after the pair was convicted of giving cocaine to guests at parties they hosted over four years at Kurth's houses in Billings and Red Lodge.

The parties began two years before Eddleman took office in 2006 and continued until last fall, when the pair was indicted following a joint state-federal investigation.

"You considered yourself above the law," U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull said in handing down Eddleman's sentence. "You were indeed the law."

Prosecutors said that in August 2006—two months after he took office—Eddleman undermined a drug case against an associate to keep his own activities from being exposed.

Law enforcement officials said they later learned Eddleman provided that associate with cocaine.

Cebull ordered Eddleman to serve three years on probation upon his release from prison, and recommended he enter a 500-hour drug treatment program while incarcerated.

Eddleman had faced a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Prosecutors and defense attorneys recommended he serve two years.

Cebull said the stiffer sentence he imposed (an extra six months? emphasis mine) reflected Eddleman's violation of the public trust and his "arrogance" as an elected official who did not follow the same laws he was sworn to uphold.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

this Prosecutor should be sentenced to the max. and all the caces he has prosecuted be overturned. "Oh" I almost forgot!!! he is part of the Bar Association and they are allowed to break all the laws they want to and their buddies will cover-up for them. what a sad place this country has came to..

Anonymous said...

Where does this leave all those women and kids he now leaves. djw

Anonymous said...

Our hearts go out to the very disturbed daughter of Jake Jabs...