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A Florida man was sentenced to more than five years in prison after pleading guilty to trying to extort money from the father of GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Stephen Alford, 63, pleaded guilty to the scheme to extort $25 million from Don Gaetz. Judge Casey Rodgers sentenced Alford to 63 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
Prosecutors had asked for Alford, who has a long rap sheet, to be sentenced to between 11 and 14 years in prison. However, Judge Rodgers decided on a more lenient sentence, taking into account Alford’s age and health issues.
Alford’s attorney said that his client was remorseful for his actions and accepted responsibility for his role in the scheme.
Don Gaetz has said that he was the victim of an elaborate extortion plot and that he did not pay any money to Alford or anyone else involved in the scheme.
The sentencing comes after Alford pleaded guilty in March to wire fraud and extortion conspiracy.
Alford’s attorney had asked for a reduced sentence, arguing that his client was suffering from health problems. But prosecutors disputed that claim, saying Alford was “seeking to game the system.”
“The defendant’s decision to try and extort millions of dollars from a sitting United States congressman using false allegations of sexual misconduct is not a symptom of poor health,” they wrote in a sentencing memo.
Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime. He has said he is the victim of an extortion attempt by a “former DOJ official” who was seeking $25 million.
In a statement, Gaetz said he was “glad justice is being served” in Alford’s case.
“I hope this serves as a deterrent to others who would attempt to victimize public figures for their own gain,” he said.
The case is not related to an ongoing Justice Department investigation into Gaetz’s alleged sexual relationships with underage girls. That probe is said to be focused on Gaetz’s former friend, Joel Greenberg.
The DOJ released a statement on the indictment:
“Stephen M. Alford, 62, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on counts of wire fraud and the attempted prevention of seizure of an electronic device, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Alford was arrested on August 31, 2021, and made his initial appearance in federal court to face the charges.
“The indictment alleges that, between March 16, and April 7, 2021, Alford engaged in a scheme to defraud a victim out of $25 million.
“As articulated in the indictment, Alford is alleged to have been involved in a scheme to obtain money based upon false promises or guarantees he made to the victim that Alford could deliver a Presidential Pardon for a family member of the victim.
Greenberg has pleaded not guilty to a host of federal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor. He is scheduled to go on trial in June. Gaetz has not been charged with any crime and has denied any wrongdoing.
