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Judge’s new job runs from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
By Chris Paschenko
The Daily News
Published June 17, 2009
Convicted U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent could spend the next 29 months in a federal prison, awaking at 6 a.m., with lights out by 11 p.m.
Kent received a 33-month sentence after his Feb. 23 guilty plea to an obstruction of justice charge for lying to authorities investigating his nonconsensual sexual contact with two of his female employees.
As the U.S. House of Representatives mulls whether to impeach
the federal judge, Kent continues to collect his $174,000 annual salary and benefits. Impeachment by the House and conviction by the Senate is the only way to remove a federal judge, appointed for life to the bench, from his seat. Kent, 59, announced his intention to resign next June.
Kent arrived at 10:14 a.m. Monday at Federal Medical Center Devens in Ayer, Mass., from which he could be released, with a four-month credit for good behavior, as early as Nov. 5, 2011, prison spokesman John Colautti said.
Before Kent can enter the prison’s general population, he must complete an orientation and medical screening, which generally lasts a week to 30 days, Colautti said.
Devens is an administrative facility, housing all kinds of inmates and also treats ill or injured prisoners from across the nation.
1,167 Inmates
As of Tuesday, Kent was among the 1,167 inmates housed at the facility. Each awakes at 6 a.m. or thereafter for an hour breakfast, and all living areas must be cleaned by 7:30 a.m., Colautti said.
“Inmates then report to their assigned job or to an education, recreation or psychology program,” Colautti said.
Beginning at 11 a.m., lunch is served for an hour, and then inmates continue their work or program assignments until returning to their cells for a 3:30 p.m. roll call. Then it’s back to work until dinner begins at 5 p.m., Colautti said.
Any inmate not working an evening assignment is then free to enjoy leisure activities, Colautti said.
“There is no Internet available, but we do have a leisure library and television viewing,” Colautti said. “There are four TVs for 164 inmates, which are typically divided by sports viewing, general news or media or a general viewing schedule for prime time TV. Then there’s one geared toward ethnic programming.”
Lights Out By 11 p.m.
Inmates return to their cells by 9 p.m. for another head count, and lights are off by 11 p.m., Colautti said.
The prison won’t give Kent an assignment until he completes his orientation, medical, psychological and social evaluation, Colautti said.
The prison provides a variety of programs, ranging from substance abuse to sex offender treatment and patient education, Colautti said.
Kent’s attorney, Dick DeGuerin, has said he hoped his client receives the medical treatment he needs.
Kent is the first judge incarcerated at the prison since it was activated 11 years ago, Colautti said.
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