A jury has started deliberations in the federal wire fraud trial of Sedgwick County commissioner Michael O’Donnell, who is accused of taking money from his campaign accounts for his personal use.
U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren gave the jury time to get organized and begin deliberations, but then they’re expected to recess for the weekend and resume deliberations on Monday.
During closing arguments, prosecutors said O’Donnell was writing checks for friends who did no work on his campaigns, and he treated campaign money like it was his money. Defense attorneys said O’Donnell did not intend to defraud his donors and he checked with the state ethics commission to make sure he was following the rules.
O’Donnell was charged with 23 counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering related to his campaigns for state senate in 2012 and for county commission in 2016.
