INDIANAPOLIS – Former Indiana Rep. Sean Eberhart on Wednesday was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for his role in a five-year-old gambling corruption case.
“I have to think it was simply a matter of greed,” U.S. District Judge Matthew Brookman told Eberhart from a sun-drenched, white-walled room in the federal courthouse in Indianapolis. Eberhart, now 53, had “plenty of” assets, the judge said, “But you wanted more.”
Eberhart pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud stemming from the 2019 legislative session.
The Republican from Shelbyville accepted a lucrative job opportunity — worth at least $350,000, plus an equity stake — with gambling company Spectacle Entertainment in exchange for his support of a bill allowing the transfer of casino licenses to areas beneficial to Spectacle. A yet-unidentified owner at Spectacle made the offer.
Eberhart advocated to allow the license transfers from lakeside areas to inland locations and pushed to lower the transfer fee from $100 million to $20 million. The approved legislation also included beneficial tax incentives for Spectacle.
“I am truly, deeply sorry for what I did,” he said. “… I apologize to anyone harmed or disappointed (by) my actions.”
Eberhart wasn’t taken into custody Wednesday. The judge told him to keep in touch with counsel for his surrender date and location.
The former congressman served Indiana’s 57th District, which at the time encompassed most of Shelby County and part of Bartholomew County.
Read more of the Leslie Bonilla Muñiz story for the Indiana Capital Chronicle, here.
