CLEVELAND — Disgraced former Cleveland councilman Kenneth Johnson, who was sentenced last year to six years in prison after being found guilty of stealing federal funds, has filed a petition requesting a compassionate early release, citing several health issues.
Johnson was sentenced on Oct. 8, 2021 and has served approximately 10 months of his six-year sentence, according to court documents.
A jury found Johnson guilty in July of conspiring with his assistant Garnell Jamison to steal federal funds and divert the money to bank accounts controlled by Johnson.
Johnson served as a councilman in Cleveland since 1980 until he was found guilty and removed from his position in July 2021.
In his compassionate release petition, Johnson states that he has severe arthritis in his left knee, sleep apnea, a severe blood clotting disorder and ongoing effects from long COVID-19.
The petition states that he submitted a request for a compassionate release to the warden on May 30, 2022, but the request was denied on June 26, 2022.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Johnson is currently 76 years old and incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. He is due to be released in November of 2026.
Watch our 2021 report on Johnson being found guilty below:
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