N.O. former mayor gets early release from prison

Ray Nagin, former mayor of New Orleans, who in 2014 was convicted on multiple counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery and sentenced to 10 years in prison, is now home with his family because of the U.S. Department of Justice’s compassionate release program in response to the spread of coronavirus in the federal prison system.

Nagin, 63, was released on Monday, April 27 after it was determined that he met the Federal Bureau of Prisons criteria of a non-violent inmate that has served more than half of their sentence and who could be vulnerable of contracting COVID-19.

Nagin, who maintains he is innocent of all charges, had been scheduled to be released in September 2024. He served as Mayor from 2002 to 2010.

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This article originally published in the May 4, 2020 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.