Contact: Alec Zimmerman
(608) 257-4765
(608) 257-4765
Weak plea deals show Kaul weak on crime
[Madison, WI] — Democrat candidate for attorney general Josh Kaul, on multiple occasions during his brief stint as an attorney in Baltimore, pleaded down heroin distributors which resulted in them serving far below the maximum sentence. Kaul has never prosecuted a criminal case in Wisconsin before, and only has his record from Baltimore to run on – now voters are seeing just how weak on crime he really is.
Read the full story here or find excerpts below.
Brad Schimel says challenger Josh Kaul gave lenient sentences to heroin, crack dealers
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Molly Beck and Keegan Kyle
October 12, 2018
Heroin and crack cocaine distributors agreed to prison sentences far below maximum penalties in three cases handled by Democratic attorney general candidate Josh Kaul when he was a federal prosecutor in Baltimore.
Attorney General Brad Schimel and Republican allies say the cases show Kaul has been too weak on drug crimes to lead the state Department of Justice.
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Pointing to federal cases Kaul handled in Baltimore that resulted in plea deals for drug traffickers and sentences below maximum penalties, Republicans say Kaul’s claim that Schimel has not done enough to prevent opioid abuse falls flat.
Kaul worked in the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Maryland under Rod Rosenstein, who is now deputy U.S. attorney general and facing criticism from President Donald Trump as he oversees the special counsel investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian officials during the 2016 election.
In one case, Kaul worked with Rosenstein to reach a plea agreement with Austin Roberts III, who conspired for years to distribute heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. Authorities identified more than $200,000 worth of the narcotics Roberts was responsible for selling.
Roberts faced a maximum life prison sentence for the trafficking and a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Ultimately, Roberts agreed to plead guilty to in exchange for 19 years in prison, according to court records. A co-defendant faced up to 20 years in prison. He ultimately agreed to 66 months of imprisonment, which was below recommended sentences, according to court records.
In another case, the leader of a family of heroin dealers initially faced up to life in prison and $4 million in fines, and a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison after he, his wife and his father purchased $150,000 worth of heroin from an undercover FBI agent.
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Johnny Koremenos, spokesman for Schimel, said the cases show Kaul’s “record is thin and what is there shows he goes easy on drug dealers.”
“Kaul has never prosecuted a criminal case in Wisconsin, not one — ever, and his track record in Baltimore shows he’s weak on crime,” Koremenos said.
Schimel’s campaign has released an ad that says Kaul has given “lighter sentences” to more than 60 drug dealers.
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Read the full story here.
