Jerome Block Jr., former member of the state Public Regulation Commission, is back in jail, for allegedly testing positive for drug use, a violation of his terms of probation.
Santa Fe County jail records show that Block was booked last Thursday morning and remains behind bars.
His attorney, Tom Clark, said he’s filed an emergency motion for Block’s release that will be heard in court Friday. He said Block, 36, is suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia and needs daily “chemo” medication.
Block was sentenced to probation instead of receiving a prison sentence in March 2012, after pleading guilty to felony charges including fraudulent use of a state-issued credit card and embezzlement as well as election law violations.
The election law violations stemmed in part from his fraudulent use of public campaign money available to PRC candidates. He claimed on a public expense form that he had used taxpayers dollars to pay a country-western band to play at a campaign event. Neither the event or the performance ever took place.
Block admitted an addiction to prescription painkillers.
Block was elected to the state Public Regulation Commission in 2008, but resigned in 2011 as part of the plea agreement.
