On Wednesday, new charges were filed against former House Speaker, Ray Sansom by Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs.
Former House Speaker, Ray Sansom has now being charged with grand theft and conspiracy to commit grand theft, following an appeals court decision to not hear the state’s case which was based on official misconduct charges.
Sansom, along with former Northwest Florida State College President Bob Richburg and developer Jay Odom had been charged with misconduct, but Circuit Judge Terry Lewis had dismissed those charges ruling that the misconduct statute was unconstitutionally vague.
However, in filing new charges, Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs said, “Same set of facts, different charge. We think a crime has been committed here.”
Sansom also faces a perjury count.
Sansom is accused of violating state laws by directing a $6 million project, for what was supposed to be an educational building, but turned out to be an airport hanger, to Northwest Florida State College. He subsequently took a job paying as much as $110,000 annually– a job that the grand jury discovered was never advertised and was just part-time.
Sansom is also undergoing an ethics investigation in the House. He has denied the charges against him.
If convicted, Sansom and his colleagues, Richburg and Odom could face up to thirty years in prison.
