Work Release Suspended for Idaho City Councilman Convicted of Insurance Fraud Case

An eastern Idaho judge has suspended the work release for a former Rigby councilman convicted of insurance fraud.

The Post Register reports that 7th District Judge Gregory Moeller made the order Wednesday concerning Lawrence Blackburn.

Idaho Deputy Attorney General Kenneth Robbins says Moeller didn’t want Blackburn receiving preferential treatment.

Blackburn on Nov. 18 was ordered to spend 150 days in jail and 10 years on probation for taking money from the estate of a deceased business client two years earlier.

He was also ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution and serve 100 hours of community service for his conviction on insurance fraud.

Robbins says there was some confusion in court Wednesday about whether Jefferson County allowed work release.

Sheriff Blair Olsen says the program resumed earlier this winter.