Anniston Architect Sentenced for Helping Former Two-Year College Chancellor Obstruct Justice

U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre today ordered Anniston architect JULIAN JENKINS to repay $300,000.00 to Alabama’s two-year college system for helping its former chancellor obstruct justice during a federal grand jury investigation of corruption in the system, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance.

Bowdre fined Jenkins, 77, Anniston, $1,000.00 and sentenced him to three years probation, to include six months in home detention, as outlined in Jenkins’ plea agreement with the government. Jenkins also is prohibited from entering into any new contracts with the two-year college system for two years.

Jenkins pled guilty in July to one count of aiding and abetting the obstruction of justice.

“The prosecution of Mr. Jenkins demonstrates the United States Attorney’s Office’s continuing commitment to make the prosecution of public corruption a priority,” Vance said. “The people of Alabama have all been victimized by a system that for too long has rewarded those who were willing to pay to play. Jenkins’ conviction for obstruction of justice is a serious one which will follow him for the rest of his life. The $300,000.00 in restitution ordered by the court will also help provide the community colleges in this state with some measure of compensation for the ordeal they have undergone.”

According to the plea agreement, in June 2006, Roy W. Johnson Jr., then chancellor of the state’s two-year college system, met with Jenkins and asked him to provide a bill for some $55,000 in architectural services and fireplaces Jenkins had given Johnson two years earlier for Johnson’s Opelika residence. Jenkins agreed to fabricate an invoice.

The purpose of the fabricated invoice was to aid Johnson in his attempts to hide from a federal grand jury investigating corruption within the college system that Jenkins had given him the architectural services and fireplaces free of charge, as “gifts.” At the time Jenkins provided these services and gifts to Johnson, Jenkins’ architectural firm had millions of dollars in professional service contracts with several two-year colleges. “Mr. Jenkins must now accept the consequences of his actions,” Maley said. “Providing false information to a grand jury will not be tolerated, and those who do so will be held accountable.”

This case was investigated by special agents of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pat Meadows and Ramona Albin prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.