Fmr. South Florida Senator Begins Serving Prison Time
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Former Florida Senator Mandy Dawson, who once represented parts of South Florida, was a little late turning herself in to prison officials in Tallahassee to serve out her sentence for tax evasion.
Dawson was supposed to surrender herself to the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee on Friday to begin serving a six months sentence. She, however, was a no show.
According to the facility's website, she was in custody early Saturday.
Dawson, a Democrat who used to live in Ft. Lauderdale, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and failing to file a federal tax return on $82 thousand in corrupt payments in an influence-peddling scheme led by Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, a Hollywood eye doctor and lobbyist.
In addition, prosecutors said Dawson failed to file tax any tax returns during a number of years she served in the legislature. She must repay the government $29 thousand for back taxes.
She will also be on 2 years probation after her release.
