Former Congressman Duncan Hunter sentenced to 11 months in prison
SAN DIEGO _ Former U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter has been sentenced to11 months in federal prison for conspiring with his wife to illegally use more than $150,000 of his campaign money for personal benefit.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan handed down the sentence at a hearing for the California Republican from Alpine. Hunter pleaded guilty in December to a felony conspiracy charge, one of 60 counts in an August 2018 indictment that also named his wife and former campaign manager, Margaret.
Both Duncan, 43, and Margaret Hunter, 44, pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned, then changed their pleas last year in separate agreements with prosecutors.
Whelan ordered him to surrender by May 29.
The disgraced former lawmaker resigned his seat representing the state's 50th District in January during his sixth term as congressman for the area of East County. He succeeded his father, former Rep. Duncan Lee Hunter, who left the seat in 2008 after 14 terms in Congress.
Margaret Hunter is scheduled to be sentenced at a hearing April 7.
According to the indictment, the Hunters relied for years on campaign contributions to pay routine family expenses such as dental bills, home repairs and fast-food meals. They also used the donations to pay for exotic vacations, private school tuition, video games and plane tickets for Margaret's mother to travel to and from Poland.
The Hunters used more than $500 in campaign funds to fly the family's pet rabbit, Eggburt, across the country with them, Margaret Hunter admitted in her plea agreement.
ln total, the initial indictment accused the Hunters of misusing $250,000 in campaign funds.
_ Chicago Tribune
