Former Jonesboro mayor prison sentence vacated

The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Shreveport vacated sentencing for former Jonesboro Mayor Leslie Thompson on Wednesday and ordered a re-sentencing to take place.

A jury found Thompson guilty of three counts of malfeasance in 2013 due to failure to properly maintain the town's financial records.

Thompson was sentenced to three years of hard labor and a $1,000 fine for the first count, three years of hard labor and a $1,000 fine for the second count and five years of hard labor for the third count. The sentence for the third count was suspended, and a five-year supervised probation with a $1,000 fine was ordered. Thompson also was ordered to pay restitution to the town for $51,792.81.

The opinion, which was written by Judge Frances Jones Pitman, states:

"Although all of the sentences imposed are within statutory bounds and individually are not excessive, the six-year imprisonment resulting from consecutive Counts I and II, the five-year post-incarceration probationary period for Count III and the restitution of $51,792.81 together create an excessive sentence.

"When a defendant is convicted of two or more offenses based on the same act or transaction, or constituting parts of a common scheme or plan, the terms of imprisonment shall be served concurrently unless the court expressly directs that some or all be served consecutively."

The opinion states concurrent sentences would be more appropriate:

"Accordingly, concurrent sentences of no more than three years' imprisonment for each count are more appropriate under the circumstances of this case, and it is within the trial court's discretion to determine what portions, if any, of these concurrent sentences should be probated."

The court did reaffirm Thompson's convictions.

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