Former Rep. Corrine Brown reports to prison

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown on Monday reported to the Federal Correctional Complex near Wildwood, her pastor told Channel 9.

"The congresswoman is not feeling the best going to prison," said Bishop Kelvin Cobaris. "No one would be excited."

A judge on Dec. 4 sentenced Brown, 71, to five years in prison and three years supervised release. A federal judge denied her request to remain free while she appeals the sentence.

In May, a jury convicted Brown on 18 counts for stealing from the charity One Door for Education, filing false tax returns and other crimes.

Brown arrived at the Coleman Correctional Complex, about 45 miles north of Orlando in Sumter County, in a black van shortly before noon Monday.

"I shared a word of prayer with her, gave her some words of encouragement," said Cobaris.

Brown will be housed with 400 other inmates at a minimum security satellite camp, where she'll be assigned a job after being cleared by medical staff.

Prison workers told Channel 9 that Brown's assignment will likely be clerical and won't involve physical labor because of her age.

Brown's former chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail or wire fraud and theft of government funds. He pleaded guilty and testified against Brown.

Carla Wiley, president of One Door for Education, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release for her part in Brown's fraud case.

Brown will receive a congressional pension while jailed, because a 2007 law allows former members of Congress to keep their benefits until a final conviction, once the appeals process has been exhausted.

Brown was required to report to prison by noon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group