The Florida tax collector whose arrest led to feds looking into U.S Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has been sentenced for sex trafficking of minors. Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County tax collector was given 11 years with sex trafficking the focus as it was the leading charge of the probe.
Florida Tax Collector Involved In the Matt Gaetz Probe Receives 11-Year Federal Sentence for Sex Trafficking
Greenberg was also accused of making fake licenses, stalking a political opponent, scheming to submit false claims for a federal loan, and public corruption. The last charge is vague since the other charges all sound like public corruption. Regardless, the tax collector was looking at some significant time due to the severity of the charges.
As a result, Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to identity theft, wire fraud, stalking, and bribing an official. It was also mentioned that he paid a minor for sex with himself and other men. During his sentencing on December 1, 2022, Greenberg apologized for his actions while his attorneys pulled for leniency.
Since he pleaded guilty, he was facing anywhere between 9 and 11 years in federal prison. His team’s gambit rested on Greenberg assisting in police investigations which targeted 24 others involved in corruption with eight being involved in some sort of sex crime.
Federal prosecutors were able to land four indictments due in part to his cooperation. While Matt Gaetz has denied the allegations that he paid a 17-year-old for sex, Greenberg’s cooperation and knowledge of who was involved with what could see the Florida representative wrangled into this as well. After all, Gaetz isn’t the only politician being probed that had ties with the tax collector.
Greenberg was given a significant reduction because of his work with prosecutors. His team was angling for the lower end at nine and half years while prosecutors wanted the max. In arguing for the lower time, his lawyer explained that Greenberg’s struggles with mental illness combined with just being in politics and wanting access as contributing factors.
He described his client’s actions as:
“Mr. Greenberg was using money and sex to get access to political circles. He came from a dark place, a lack of self-worth, and tried to ingratiate himself with a collection of people.”
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