Judge Kent is now behind bars

05:22 PM CDT on Monday, June 15, 2009

By Chris Paschenko / The Daily News

GALVESTON, Texas — Federal Judge Samuel B. Kent is now behind bars.
He reported to a federal prison Monday afternoon outside Boston.

The move comes on the same day that U.S. House members were expected to convene impeachment proceedings against the convicted jurist possibly this week.

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved four articles of impeachment, accusing Kent, 59, of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Kent, who was on the bench in Galveston for years, pleaded guilty last month to obstruction of justice after federal prosecutors agreed to drop sexual misconduct charges against him.

His caseworker, Cathy McBroom, and secretary, Donna Wilkerson, accused Kent of non-consensual sexual misconduct, saying Kent forced himself on them, touching them while in his chambers.

Kent, who announced his intention to resign from the bench June 1, 2010, was sentenced to 33 months in prison.

Kent is expected to report today to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Devens Federal Medical Center in Massachusetts.

His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said he hoped his client would receive treatment for his ailments there.

“I understand it’s one of the better medical facilities in the federal system,” DeGuerin said.

Impeachment by the House and prosecution by the Senate is the only way to remove a federal judge from the bench.

Kent will continue to collect his $174,000 annual salary and benefits while in jail unless he is removed or resigns.

The first two articles of impeachment refer to Kent’s unwanted sexual misconduct against McBroom and Wilkerson, and the final two include false statements to investigators.

A vote on the articles of impeachment, which was tentatively scheduled for Friday, is expected to take place sometime this week, possibly Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, said Brendan Daly, a spokesman for California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who is Speaker of the House.

An impeachment vote, however, wasn’t listed on House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s legislative calendar for this week.