New Report Suggests Ron DeSantis Gave Soft Sentences To Child Predators

(Republicaninformer.com)- According to documents acquired by National File, current Florida governor Ron DeSantis often used plea agreements as a prosecutor to reduce the penalties for those convicted of child pornography offenses.

DeSantis struck a deal with a man that reduced the offender’s sentence from 30 to 6 years in prison.

DeSantis also negotiated a plea agreement with a sailor facing serious charges, reducing the sailor’s potential sentence from ten years to six. At least two of the offenders with whom DeSantis made deals were active-duty Navy personnel.

Gregory Baker was arrested in 2007 for having a thumb drive filled with illegal imagery. In a court case, it was stated that the visual representations were of kids engaged in explicit sexual activity. DeSantis joined the Baker case as an assistant U.S. attorney in June 2008.

Baker requested a change to the terms of his release, and DeSantis did not object.

When DeSantis filed a “downward departure” petition in October 2008, resulting in a “one level reduction in the Defendant’s overall offense level,” Baker’s sentence was reduced to only one year and one day.

In 2008, two US sailors, Matthew Orth and Chase Keefover, were indicted for allegedly having or sending child pornography aboard a Navy ship. Prosecutor Ron DeSantis negotiated a plea bargain with the pair. Both sailors were staring down potentially lengthy jail terms. Orth was facing thirty years in prison, while Keefover faced ten.

Yet, both sailors were able to work out settlements with DeSantis. Of the three accusations against Orth, DeSantis dismissed one, and he was given a jail term of just six years, followed by 15 years of probation.

DeSantis also negotiated a reduced sentence for Keefover, who served just six months in jail before being released to home arrest for the same period.

The DeSantis record on this crime is unclear while governor of Florida.

SOURCE: https://republicaninformer.com/new-report-suggests-ron-desantis-gave-soft-sentences-to-child-predators/