Beverly Masek, 46, turned herself in today at the Victorville Federal Correctional Complex in Adelanto, Calif., 85 miles northeast of Los Angeles, according to the federal probation office for the district of Alaska. The four-time Iditarod musher and five-term Alaska state representative was sentenced Sept. 24 to serve six months in jail after pleading guilty to bribery. Masek will also serve three years' probation following her release from prison.
Masek's entry into prison comes less than two weeks after the millionaire oilman who gave her $4,000 while she was a state lawmaker learned his fate. Former VECO chief executive Bill Allen also directed Masek to kill a bill he thought would harm the oil industry and his company, according to Masek's plea agreement.
Late last month Allen was sentenced to three years in jail for his role in bribing numerous Alaska politicians in an attempt to influence new rates for oil taxes.
Masek's defense attorney had hoped his client would avoid jail time altogether. Attorney Rich Curtner argued that Masek is a struggling, depressed alcoholic, easily manipulated, whose punishment deserved a light touch -- not unlike Sen. John Cowdery, who was sentenced to home confinement for his own criminal dealings with Allen. But unlike Masek, Cowdery never received money from Allen or took official action at his direction, and he was in much poorer health.
Masek grew up in the village of Anvik, and went on to represent the community of Willow during her service to the state as a member of Alaska's House of Representatives.
Contact Jill Burke at jill_alaskadispatch.com.