Former Kent City Councilman Ken Sharp faces an Oct. 3 sentencing date on first-degree theft charges after a King County Superior Court judge agreed to continue the court date from Sept. 26.
Sharp’s defense attorney won’t be available on Sept. 26 so the new date was set before Judge James Cayce, according to Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Sharp, 67, who remains out of custody, pleaded guilty in June to stealing $297,500 from his 93-year-old mother’s bank accounts. He pleaded guilty to seven counts of first-degree theft and one count of mortgage fraud.
In June, Cayce granted Sharp three extra months before his sentencing because the length of the prison sentence is contingent on the amount of restitution he can come up with and pays to the King County Clerks Office.
If Sharp pays less than $100,000, the state will recommend the sentence remain at 43 months, according to court records. If he pays more than $100,000 but less than $200,000 the state will move to dismiss one theft charge and recommend a sentence of 29 months. If he pays more than $200,000, the state will move to dismiss two theft charges and recommend a sentence of 22 months.
Relatives of Sharp tipped off police about the thefts. His mother lived in Federal Way at the time of the thefts.
Federal Way Police arrested Sharp in June 2013 but he stayed in his first race for City Council and voters elected him over Bailey Stober in a close November contest.
Sharp resigned in January after only two weeks in office because of what he said were “pending legal issues I fear will become too distracting for my fellow council members, for the mayor and for city staff.”
Sharp reportedly used the money to help out his financially struggling business (Minuteman Press in Kent) as well as to pay for trips to Spain, Mexico, South Africa, Palm Springs, Calif., Austin, Texas and Friday Harbor; and to buy jewelry (with debits to a jewelry store in Tacoma of $10,000 and $2,358), according to charging papers.
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