ORLANDO, Fla. — Disgraced former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Thursday.
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That sentence applies to the six criminal charges he pleaded guilty to, including child sex trafficking.
In addition to the 11 years in prison, he was sentenced to 10 years of probation.
Watch: Joel Greenberg: Former tax collector to pay Seminole County nearly $1.3M
“Nothing I say can justify my actions,” Greenberg said in court Thursday. “My conduct was so shameful. I feel remorse for what I’ve done.”
Before his sentencing, Greenberg’s lawyer told the judge that Greenberg deserved a lighter sentence because he has been helping federal officials with other serious cases that are already being prosecuted.
The judge didn’t agree. In court Thursday, the judge called Greenberg’s actions, “downright evil.”
Greenberg’s career started to fall apart in 2020. That June, he was arrested on a stalking and impersonation charge for what he did to a political opponent. He resigned from office that same month.
Watch: Joel Greenberg talks ‘ghost candidate’ plan in jailhouse interview: Read the transcript
Then in July, Greenberg was accused of making fake driver’s licenses.
In August, he was slapped with a sex trafficking charge involving a minor.
Greenberg pleaded guilty to six charges, including child sex trafficking and aggravated identity theft.
Watch: Ex-tax collector Joel Greenberg pleads guilty to 6 charges, including child sex trafficking
The charges carried up to a 27-year sentence.
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