FORT LAUDERDALE _ Former Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion has reached a deal with state prosecutors that will allow him to plead guilty to one count of unlawful compensation in exchange for a reduced penalty, according to several sources.
As part of the deal, the Broward State Attorney’s Office, which filed the corruption charge against Eggelletion on Nov. 5, has agreed not to file other charges against him, sources said.
The revelation comes less than a week after Eggelletion pleaded guilty Dec. 3 to money-laundering, and resigned from office in an unrelated federal case.
Eggelletion’s attorney, Johnny McCray Jr. could not be reached for comment. Officials with the Broward State Attorney’s Office offered few details.
“We’re not commenting,” Broward State Attorney’s Office spokesperson Ron Ishoy said in an email sent to the newspaper on Monday. “Eggelletion has an arraignment on Wed. [Dec. 16].”
The state charge against Eggelletion is related to bribes he allegedly accepted from a developer in exchange for support of projects that the company had before the Broward County Commission.
It is unclear whether Eggelletion will enter the guilty plea on Wednesday before Circuit Judge John J. Murphy, or will plead not guilty initially, then schedule another hearing later to enter a guilty plea, as he did in his federal criminal case.
Sources said that in addition to a guilty plea, prosecutors would also require Eggelletion to cooperate and provide statements in other “unspecified” investigations.
Under the terms of the deal, sources said, Eggelletion would be adjudicated guilty, which would increase the likelihood that he will lose his state pension.
Pictured above is Josephus Eggelletion.
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