Nathaniel T. Oaks | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Member of the Maryland Senate from the 41st district | |
| In office February 10, 2017 –March 29, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Lisa Gladden |
| Succeeded by | Jill P. Carter |
| Member of the MarylandHouseofDelegates from the 41st district | |
| In office January 11,1995 –February 10,2017 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel M. Parham |
| Succeeded by | Angela Gibson |
| In office January 12,1983 –January 10,1989 | |
| Preceded by | Walter R. Dean,Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Samuel M. Parham |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 19,1946 Baltimore,Maryland,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Baltimore,Maryland |
| Occupation | Insurance agent |
Nathaniel T. Oaks (born October 19,1946) is an American politician from Baltimore City,Maryland. He was a longtime member of the Maryland General Assembly,serving as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1983 to 1989 and again from 1995 to February 2017,when he resigned to take a seat in the Maryland State Senate. Oaks remained in the state Senate until March 29,2018,when he resigned from office on the same day he pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. [1] [2]
Born in Baltimore,Maryland,Oaks attended Edmondson High School,the University of Baltimore,Towson State College and graduated from Morgan State University with a Bachelor of Science in business in 1974. [1]
Oaks was a member of the House of Delegates from 1983 to 1989 when he automatically forfeited his seat after being convicted of theft charges for $10,000 for double-billing expenses to the State in his official capacity and to his campaign fund. [3]
After a losing bid to regain office in 1990,Oaks was re-elected in 1994 when several incumbent delegates retired. [4]
| Name | Votes | Percent | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jill P. Carter,Dem. | 13,196 | 31.2% | Won |
| Samuel I. Rosenberg,Dem. | 9,215 | 21.8% | Won |
| Nathaniel T. Oaks,Dem. | 9,189 | 21.7% | Won |
| Wendall Phillips | 6,480 | 15.3% | Lost |
| Kevin Hargrave | 2,095 | 5.0% | Lost |
| Karen M. Ferguson | 2,116 | 5.0% | Lost |
Governor Larry Hogan appointed Oaks to the Maryland State Senate in 2017 when Lisa Gladden retired due to illness. [7]
In May 2017,State Senator Oaks was indicted in U.S. District Court on nine counts of wire fraud,fraud,and bribery in connection with an influence-peddling scheme. [8] [2] In November 2017,Oaks was additionally charged with obstruction of justice,relating to "an allegation that Oaks sabotaged another investigation by tipping off the target." [2]
On March 29,2018,Oaks resigned his state Senate seat,and hours later pleaded guilty to two wire fraud charges and admitted that he had made "corrupt use of his office in a bribery scheme." [2] The remaining charges against him were dismissed. [2]
Although federal prosecutors asked for a 5 year prison sentence, [9] on July 17,2018,Oaks was formally sentenced to three and a half years in prison. U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett found Oaks guilty on one count of wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud after he signed a plea agreement early 2018 confirming he had accepted a bribe from a disguised FBI informant and agreed to help defraud a federal housing agency. Oaks was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine and perform 80 hours of community service. [10] It was reported in June 2020 that Oaks was granted compassionate release from prison due to poor health amid the COVID-19 pandemic after serving about half of his sentence. [11] [12]