A former Gwinnett County zoning board member will remain in the local jail until he’s sent to federal prison for his role in a bribery scheme.
On Thursday Gwinnett Magistrate Court Judge Angela Duncan denied John Fanning bail on assault and other charges stemming from a recent confrontation with his estranged wife. That means he’ll remain in custody until federal authorities take him to prison for unrelated bribery and drug charges.
It’s unclear when Fanning, 34, the son of former Gwinnett County Commissioner Shirley Lasseter, will report to prison.
“I’m very upset my son didn’t get any bond,” said Lasseter, who attended the hearing. She fears the decision could postpone his federal sentence and prolong his time behind bars.
In May Fanning and Lasseter pleaded guilty to federal charges. Lasseter, 64, admitted she accepted $36,500 from an undercover FBI agent in exchange for her vote on a Boggs Road real estate development. Fanning admitted helping to arrange the bribe and to transporting 4 kilograms of what he believed to be cocaine.
Last month a U.S. District Court judge sentenced Lasseter to 33 months in prison on the bribery charge. Like her son, she is awaiting word on when she will report to prison.
The federal judge sentenced Fanning and Hall County businessman Carl “Skip” Cain to 57 months each on bribery and drug charges.
Fanning was waiting to report to prison when he was arrested Oct. 5 near his Dacula home. According to charging documents, he assaulted his wife with a table leg in front of their three children and tried to prevent her from calling for help.
He was booked on charges of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, obstructing a 911 call and cruelty to a child in the third degree.
Fanning’s attorney, Ralph Hunstein, argued his client should be allowed to post bond because he likely would head straight to federal prison if released.
In denying bond, Duncan said Fanning was a risk to commit additional felonies.
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