Former Lodi city councilman Shakir Khan will be serving some time behind bars after being sentenced for allegedly committing election fraud and money laundering among other charges. According to information released by the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, a judge rejected Khan’s motion to withdraw his plea.
Instead, the judge sentenced him to three years in the county jail, with one year suspended and served on mandatory supervision. Back in January 2024, Khan pleaded no contest to a whopping 77 criminal counts. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office originally stated that the charges steam from the 2020 election. Investigators on the case found 41 mail-in ballots at his home and 71 names were registered to his home and cell phone number.
Officials commented on the sentencing, stating that showcased the district attorney’s dedication to preserving election integrity and ensuring those who try to undermine the democratic process are held accountable for their actions. “While this defendant entered a no-contest plea nearly two years ago, today’s sentence shows the seriousness with which we take efforts to tamper with the electoral process in San Joaquin County,” District Attorney Ron Freitas said.
Accountability includes honoring the plea and fulfilling the terms of supervision. If Mr. Khan fails to comply, the full consequences of his sentence will be enforced,” he continued. The court also slapped Khan with an imposed 8-year state prison sentence that is stayed, however, if Khan violates the terms of his supervision, he might have to serve that sentence.
According to ABC10, Khan gave a statement following his sentencing, going on to say, “I am grateful for the hard work of my attorney and the court’s decision allowing me to remain out of custody while I work to fulfill restitution and support my family. This has been a long and transformative journey, during which I have deeply reflected on what truly matters—my loved ones and my responsibilities.”
“Today’s sentence shows the seriousness with which we take efforts to tamper with the electoral process in San Joaquin County,” Freitas also stated in a news release. “Accountability includes honoring the plea and fulfilling the terms of supervision. If Mr. Khan fails to comply, the full consequences of his sentence will be enforced.”
Khan himself pursued legal action against city officials over the election fraud case, alleging that they removed him from his position. He attempted to make the case that he was pressured into stepping down from his role during a police interrogation. Body camera footage taken inside jail shows Khan agreeing to resign just hours after his arrest.
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The disgraced Lodi city councilman signed a handwritten note by Mikey Hothi, who was serving as the mayor at the time. Khan was also facing a separate criminal case for illegal gambling while serving on city council. He confessed to those allegations and forfeited a total of $77,000 in cash and $383,000 in property assets. The funds were put into the general funds of San Joaquin County.
Khan was originally looking at spending 40 years behind bars, but his plea deal drastically reduced his sentence. Freitas and his office issued a thank-you to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters for lending their help in investigating and the case and ensuring Khan was held accountable for his crimes.
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