Miami Politician Sternad Sentenced for Campaign Fraud

MIAMI – Justin Lamar Sternad, a 35-year-old Miami resident, has been sentenced to seven months in prison for violating the Federal Election Campaign Act during the 2012 Democratic Party primary for Florida’s 26th Congressional District. U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga handed down the sentence after Sternad pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to make false statements and accepting illegal campaign contributions.

Sternad’s campaign was accused of accepting cash and checks exceeding Federal Election Campaign Act limits, with over $70,000 in misreported funds. Court documents revealed that Sternad intentionally misled the Federal Election Commission (FEC) about his campaign’s activities, including the use of illegal cash contributions to pay for campaign materials.

According to Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Sternad reported loans to his campaign totaling $63,801 when he actually loaned less than $300. The FBI led the investigation into Sternad’s campaign finances, with Senior Litigation Counsel Thomas J. Mulvihill and Richard C. Pilger prosecuting the case.

Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, Leslie R. Caldwell, commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, emphasizing the importance of enforcing election laws to maintain the integrity of our democratic process.

A copy of the press release can be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls, and related court documents are available on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida’s website at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or through Pacer at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.