A federal court in Nashville altered the sentencing of former Tennessee state legislator Robin Smith on Monday, changing her prison sentence to probation. Smith's testimony was instrumental in securing convictions against ex-House Speaker Glen Casada and his former aide Cade Cothren in a case involving public corruption and misuse of public funds.
Initially, Smith was scheduled to begin an eight-month prison term. However, U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson reduced her sentence to one year of probation during proceedings. Smith had cooperated with prosecutors by providing testimony and information that revealed a scheme in which Casada, Cothren, and Smith collaborated to operate a clandestine company that obtained contracts funded by taxpayers to send mailings to constituents.
Despite the convictions, both Casada and Cothren received presidential pardons from then-President Donald Trump shortly after Smith's sentencing. Casada had been sentenced in September to three years in prison while Cothren received two and a half years. The pardons effectively nullified their prison terms.
Smith's legal team had petitioned the court to commute her sentence to probation, arguing it would be unjust for her to serve prison time while equally culpable co-conspirators were pardoned and spared incarceration. The U.S. Attorney's Office also supported probation for Smith under these unique circumstances, noting the rarity of an equally responsible testifying co-conspirator serving time when others received pardons.
Smith released a statement expressing gratitude for the support she received throughout the legal process, highlighting her reliance on faith and community encouragement during this time. Her attorney, Ben Rose, noted that a presidential pardon would conclude her probationary obligations and allow her to recover approximately $30,000 paid in restitution.
The sealed court documents provided the judge's rationale for the sentence reduction, though details remain confidential.
The corruption case centered on activities by Casada after resigning as House Speaker in 2019 amid internal party dissent and scandal. Cothren had also stepped down from his position the same year. Prosecutors established that Cothren launched a company named Phoenix Solutions, purportedly managed by an individual named "Matthew Phoenix," with the support of Casada and Smith. This entity received nearly $52,000 in taxpayer funds in 2020 through a legislative program designed to facilitate communication with constituents.
IRS paperwork bearing the signature of "Matthew Phoenix" was introduced as part of the evidence. Prosecutors contended the objective was to use this state-funded project as a foothold to expand into more profitable ventures.
During the trial, defense lawyers sought to undermine Smith's credibility by portraying her as motivated by prospects of a reduced sentence. Smith testified that the purpose of disguising the true parties behind Phoenix Solutions was due to the "radioactive" nature of the scandal that resulted in Casada and Cothren losing power.
Smith pleaded guilty to one charge of honest services wire fraud. The jury convicted Casada and Cothren on multiple counts, including fraud committed under a fictitious name, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering. Smith, who previously held roles as a county and state GOP leader, was elected to the Tennessee House in 2018 representing part of Hamilton County but resigned her seat in early 2022 as part of the plea agreement.