Send Corrupt Official to Prison

Send Corrupt Official to Prison
News-Register

A former West Virginia lottery inspector who was part of a ring involving illegal gambling and political corruption got off relatively lightly in federal court this week. We hope her crooked employer is not as lucky.

Carol Kitchen, of Chapmanville, was sentenced to five years' probation by U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. The crime for which she was sentenced and to which she had pleaded guilty was lying to federal investigators.

Her falsehood was in response to questions about whether she accepted bribes from former House of Delegates member Joseph Ferrell, D-Logan.

While Ferrell was in the Legislature, he also owned an "amusement company" in southern West Virginia. The company was engaged in a multi-state illegal gambling ring. Kitchen, then a state Lottery Commission employee, was being bribed to aid Ferrell with gambling machines.

Copenhaver gave Kitchen a break after learning she had helped federal investigators, perhaps providing them the information they needed to charge Ferrell. In addition, Kitchen lost her job and her state pension.

The U.S. Attorney's Office reportedly did not object to probation for Kitchen, noting she already had suffered substantially from her misdeeds. The judge agreed.

While we normally advocate harsh sentences for those involved in public corruption, Copenhaver appears to have good cause for not sending Kitchen to prison.

Ferrell is another story, however. He already has pleaded guilty to racketeering and tax fraud.

His crimes were extensive, involving illegal gambling, bribing public officials and, allegedly, vote buying. All this while serving seven terms in the House of Delegates.

Ferrell's sentencing has been set for May 2. We can think of no reason why the judge in his case should show any compassion whatsoever toward Ferrell.

To the contrary, the disgraced public official should receive a harsh sentence in keeping with the enormous betrayal of the public's trust of which he is guilty.