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Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh Reports To Federal Prison In Alabama For Three-Year Sentence

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh is now a federal inmate. Pugh has reported for her three-year prison sentence at a minimum security facility in Alabama.

In February, Pugh was sentenced to three years in prison and three years probation on federal fraud and tax charges tied to her "Healthy Holly" book scheme.

She resigned as mayor, pleaded guilty and later apologized to the City of Baltimore.

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One week ago, she pleaded guilty to a state perjury charge and was sentenced to six months. That's to be served alongside her federal sentence, meaning no additional jail time was added.

As Pugh transitions, local attorney Joe Pappafotis, of Alperstein & Diener Law Firm, explained what the process will be like.

"During that orientation process, she will be introduced to members of a time that will assist her in her rehabilitation process while in the Bureau of Prisons," Pappafotis said. "A case manager, for example, and also she will be evaluated for any time of physical issues that she may have medically, and also evaluated for any psychological issues that may exist."

Based on that evaluation, she will then be assigned a work detail.

"She's going to get up early in the morning, when the correctional officers tell her to wake up. She's going to have to be in her cell or at her bunk when they do roll call, or what they call a head count, periodically throughout the day," Pappafotis said. "And she's gonna be told when and where to eat. So the freedoms she was able to enjoy as a free citizen will not be there for her."

Pappafotis expects Pugh will serve close to her full sentence. He estimated that to be two years.

Pappafotis also said he speculates Pugh is serving in Alabama because she will be less recognized there. He added COVID-19 means the prison isn't allowing any contact visits, so meeting with her attorneys face-to-face won't happen.

Once she's close to release, she'll move to a half-way house or into a re-entry program.

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