A former staffer and fund raiser for Gov. Bev Perdue’s campaign pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in a Wake County courtroom Wednesday afternoon. But Peter Reichard offered an Alford’s plead of guilty in which a defendant admits the state has enough evidence to convict but doesn’t admit to being actually guilty of the crime. He made the plea before Superior Court Judge Donald Stepehens
Reichard was charged with hiding the fact his company supplemented another Perdue staffer’s salary and didn’t report it as a campaign donation. Judge Stephens said he was surprised a person of such good standing in his community would get caught up in “such foolishness.”
Judge Stephens suspended a sentence of six to eight months in prison and instead put Reichard on unsupervised probation. District Attorney Colon Willoughby wanted Reichard under supervised probation but Stephens said Reichard didn’t benefit from the scheme. Reichard was also fined $25,000 plus court costs.
Reichard is one of three former Perdue staffers indicted. Julia Leigh Sitton was also charged with obstruction of justice and making false reports. It was her salary that was supplemented by Reichard and she didn’t report it.
Trawick “Buzzy” Hamilton Stubbs was charged with obstruction of justice and making a false report. He arranged campaign flights for Perdue but didn’t report them.
The cases against Stubbs and Sitton have been continued until after the new year.
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