Former Broward School Board member Stephanie Kraft left the Broward courthouse late Friday morning a free woman – with strings attached.
Kraft, who was found guilty of official misconduct a week ago, was handed a big break when Broward Circuit Judge Matthew Destry sentenced her to five years of probation and 20 hours a week of community service – to be performed at a Legal Aid office. Destry also agreed to withhold adjudication, meaning Kraft will not be a convicted felon as long as she finishes her probation term without incident.
But Destry’s mercy came after a harsh scolding. The judge accused Kraft, a school board member from 1999 until 2010, of betraying the trust of her supporters and the people she represented.
“You sold us out,” Destry said.
Kraft was accused of helping the father-son development team of Bruce and Shawn Chait, who were building a housing development in Tamarac and had hired Kraft’s husband as a consultant in 2007. According to trial testimony, Kraft wedged the Chaits’ project onto a July 2007 school board agenda, then left the room while other board members voted on the proposal. She never told her colleagues she had a conflict of interest.
The jury cleared Kraft of more serious charges – bribery, unlawful compensation and conspiracy – but the guilty verdict for official misconduct shows the jury believed her decision to skip the vote was deliberate and illegal.
Her husband, Mitchell Kraft, is scheduled to go on trial in March on related charges.
Destry said Kraft, as a public official and member of the Florida Bar, had no excuse and could not credibly claim ignorance about what was required of her under the law.
“You were a member of team Chait,” Destry said. “When they set out to game the system, they needed inside help. They found you. I don’t know in what moment of weakness you sold us out, but you did… You were on team Chait. But I’m not here to judge them or pass sentence on them.”
The Chaits admitted to bribing numerous public officials, ruining the political careers of three Tamarac city officials, one Broward County Commissioner (Josephus Eggelletion, who served two and a half years in federal prison as part of a plea deal) and Kraft.
Prosecutor Catherine Maus had asked the judge to sentence Kraft to 18 months in Florida State Prison followed by a term of probation, but Destry said he was swayed by an outpouring of support from people who said they were helped by Kraft over the years, before, during and after her term on the school board.
“I cannot conclude that a simple misstep in your life defines your career,” Destry said. “We’re going to give you a chance to make this right, because you deserve it.”
Destry’s decision to free Kraft stood in contrast to his actions after the jury found her guilty. After the verdict was read Dec. 11, Destry immediately ordered Kraft into custody and ignored defense pleas to allow her to tend to her dying mother before sentencing.
Kraft wept throughout the proceeding. Afterward, she opted to leave the courtroom and the courthouse still wearing her jail scrubs.
“I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who came here to support me,” she said outside the courtroom.
Defense lawyer Ken Padowitz said he still plans to appeal Kraft’s verdict and said his client maintains her innocence.
rolmeda@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4457, Twitter @SSCourts and @rolmeda
