Former Indiana State Representative Sean Eberhart (R) was sentenced Wednesday to a year and a day in prison for pushing a bill favoring a casino company in exchange for a future job prospect.
In November, Eberhart pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud. He would have faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison and agreed to pay $60,000 in restitution, approximately his annual pay as a legislator. However, the Indianapolis Star reported Wednesday that prosecutors advised leniency as part of the plea deal signed in November 2023.
The case dates back to 2018 when, according to court records, hospitality company Spectacle Entertainment was looking to purchase two casinos on Lake Michigan in Gary, Indiana, and relocate the facilities to downtown Gary and Vigo County in western Indiana.
At the time, Eberhart sat on a committee responsible for reviewing legislative proposals on casinos and gambling. The bill approving the move was passed by the legislature in 2019.
Prosecutors have accused Eberhart of using his position to successfully advocate for the relocation in exchange for his future employment, with an annual salary of at least $350,000. Eberhart also promised to secure favorable terms for the company, including tax incentives.
However, Bradley Shepard, the U.S. Attorney's Office's senior litigation counsel, admitted on Wednesday that the bill could have been approved without Eberhart's vote. Still, he contended that it wouldn't have been passed in a manner that was as advantageous to Spectacle.
“I have to think it was simply a matter of greed,” commented Shepard, as reported in the Indianapolis Star.
