Radel pleads guilty to drug charge
Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.) pled guilty in District of Columbia Superior Court Wednesday morning on a charge of misdemeanor possession of cocaine, a controlled substance.
Judge Robert Tignor sentenced Radel to a year of probation with minimal supervision, to allow Radel to enter in-patient substance abuse treatment in Florida. He warned that if Radel breaks probation, he would face up to six months in jail.
The misdemeanor charge carried a maximum of 180 days in prison and/or a fine of $1,000.
{mosads}In a statement before the court, Radel apologized for what he had done, saying he recognized he had “hit a bottom” in his life and needed to seek help. He expressed remorse for letting down both his constituents as well as his 2-year-old son, who he said is not yet aware of what has happened.
The prosecution, carried out by attorney Nihar Mohanty, laid out the government’s allegations.
Radel, he said, had met with an associate as well as an undercover police officer at a Dupont Circle restaurant and discussed purchasing cocaine from the undercover officer.
Schertler urged leniency for his client, emphasizing that Radel had already entered an out-patient treatment program in D.C., that he was a successful businessman who had contributed to the community, and that he had no prior offenses.
As Radel entered his guilty plea, Tignor asked whether he was on any drugs or other substances at the time, which Radel denied.
In a statement on Tuesday, Radel blamed the incident on alcoholism and apologized.
“I’m profoundly sorry to let down my family, particularly my wife and son, and the people of Southwest Florida. I struggle with the disease of alcoholism, and this led to an extremely irresponsible choice. As the father of a young son and a husband to a loving wife, I need to get help so I can be a better man for both of them,” he said in a statement.
Radel was first elected to Congress in 2012 to represent a Southwest Florida district spanning Fort Myers, Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs and Cape Coral. He won the Republican district with 63 percent of the vote and has been a prominent face of the party, making multiple media appearances and frequently using social media.
He serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs committees.
Before his election, he worked as a TV news anchor and reporter. He is married to a Florida TV news anchor, and they have one son who was born in 2011.
Radel, Henry J. III -Statement of Offense – Nov 2013
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