JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Two former Jacksonville City Councilmembers are headed to federal prison.
Katrina and Reginald Brown, who are not related, previously asked the judge in their case to remain free pending the appeal of their 2019 convictions on dozens of conspiracy and corruption charges.
This week District Judge Marcia Morales Howard denied their request and ordered them to report to prison.
The Browns were convicted by a jury in October 2019 for defrauding the government of loans and grants intended to create 56 jobs at Katrina Brown's family barbecue sauce business. No jobs were ever created.
Reginald Brown was sentenced to 18 months and Katrina Brown must serve 33 months.
Read the full court order here. **Story continues below
District Judge Marcia Morales Howard pronounced the sentence back on Oct. 29, saying that although Katrina Brown knew what she was doing and knew it was wrong, she doesn't believe either of the Browns are bad people.
After the sentence, Katrina Brown said she was not done trying to promote her family business. “We're going to work hard to put Jerome Brown barbecue sauce on every shelf in Jacksonville and in the United States,” she said.
Reginald Brown didn't comment after the judge issued her sentence, but his attorney Alan Ceballos said he was relieved the judge decided this was not a case of public corruption.
