A federal court has rejected former Connecticut Governor John Rowland’s plea for an early release from probation. It is the second time Rowland has served probation. His first supervised released came after he resigned from his role as governor and plead guilty to federal corruption charges.
In 2014, Rowland was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in an election fraud case. He paid a $35,000 fine and was placed on probationary release that ends in May 2021.
Rowland requested an early release from a three-year term of federal supervision to devote more time to his new role as a fundraiser and development director for Prison Fellowship.
His work at this non-profit requires him to visit prisons across the Northeast to minister inmates. The terms of his probation prevent Rowland from entering prisons in New York, Ohio, and Connecticut.
A federal judge said Rowland’s two convictions in breaches of ethics laws in 2004 and 2014 suggest a need for supervision. He also doesn’t believe that federal supervision should limit Rowland’s ability to meet his job’s responsibilities.