Sex crimes judge pleads guilty to obstructing justice

A FEDERAL judge accused of groping two of his female court employees and trying to force them to perform sex acts pleaded guilty yesterday to obstruction of justice in exchange for sex crimes charges being dropped.

US District Judge Samuel Kent’s guilty plea came as jury selection in his trial was set to begin. Kent pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice yesterday and retired from the bench, avoiding a trial on that charge and five others accusing him of sexually abusing two female employees.

The jurist spoke barely above a whisper as he pleaded guilty to lying to a judicial committee investigating the sex-related charges. He and his lawyer, Dick DeGeurin, told the presiding judge that he was taking medication for depression and anxiety as well as diabetes, and was under the care of both a psychiatrist and a psychologist.

Kent, 59, had been facing six charges — five related to federal sex crimes and the obstruction charge, a felony that alone carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Kent was the first federal judge charged with a sex crime and would have been one of only a handful to be tried. Before yesterday, he had vigorously maintained his innocence.

If he had been convicted of the most serious federal sex crimes charges against him, Kent could have received a sentence of up to life in prison.

Kent has been on the bench for nearly 19 years. Federal judges are appointed for life and can only be removed through impeachment by Congress, which Kent could likely now face.

Kent had promised a “horde of witnesses” in his defence. DeGuerin had said the judge’s conduct with the two women was mutual and consensual.

Prosecutors had said they would present evidence showing there was nothing consensual about what Kent did with the two women, Cathy McBroom, his former case manager, and the judge’s former secretary.