United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

FORMER STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE EMPLOYEE WHO ACCEPTED MONEY FROM BAIL BONDSMEN IS SENTENCED

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CYNTHIA McCLENDON, 51, of New Haven, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one year of probation, the first four months of which McCLENDON must serve in home confinement with electronic monitoring.  On June 2, 2008, McCLENDON pleaded guilty to one count of soliciting and accepting a gratuity.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, McCLENDON was an administrative assistant with the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services and worked in the Public Defender’s Office located at 121 Elm Street in New Haven.  Robert Jacobs and Philip Jacobs were bail bondsmen associated with Jacobs Bail Bonds in New Haven.  As bail bondsmen, Robert Jacobs and Philip Jacobs were obligated to pay the State of Connecticut at least 50 percent of the posted bond if the person failed to appear in a Connecticut state court as the bond required.  In pleading guilty, McCLENDON admitted that she accepted cash from Philip Jacobs over the past 10 years as consideration for her providing him with original intake or rearrest client files to review to assist him in the bail business.  McCLENDON also accepted cash from Robert Jacobs as consideration for her providing information to him.  Robert Jacobs also “loaned” McCLENDON $100 to $200 on approximately five or six occasions, some of which she failed to pay back.

Robert and Philip Jacobs each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.  On June 10, 2008, Robert Jacobs was sentenced to15 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of $24,000, and Philip Jacobs was sentenced to four months of imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut State Police, and is being prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Nora R. Dannehy.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov