Attorney: Bob Jones Has No Money To Pay $68 Mil Restitution
The defense attorney for once-powerful El Paso executive Bob Jones says his client is out of money, making it just about impossible for Jones to pay $68 million in restitution.
The former NCED President and CEO was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Thursday and ordered to pay $68 million in restitution.
Jones pleaded guilty to defrauding the federal government out of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal contracts awarded to NCED, the National Center for the Employment of the Disabled.
Spencer told ABC-7 since 2006, Jones has paid $11 million in restitution to the company, reorganized as ReadyOne Industries.
The attorney said the $68 million amount is on top of that $11 million.
But because the government already seized Jones’ home, property and life earnings, Spencer said Jones won’t be able to make new payments until after his release.
“We’re optimistic,” Spencer told ABC-7. “(Jones) is quite the entrepreneurial individual…when he gets released from prison, he’ll be able to begin diligent work to pay back the restitution.”
The U.S. Attorney’s office said of the $68 million, $51 million will go to the U.S. government, $13 million will go to NCED/ReadyOne and $2 million will go to the Ysleta Independent School District.
Jones also admitted to a separate scheme to bribe school officials.
The 65-year-old is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals as he awaits his federal prison assignment.
Spencer told ABC-7 his client is not being held at the El Paso County Jail but declined to elaborate.
Former NCED Board Member Patrick Woods, 54, was also sentenced Thursday. Woods was given three years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the U.S. Government.
The company’s former Chief Operations Officer, Ernie Lopez, is scheduled for sentencing next Tuesday.
