Mark Hazelwood, the former President of Pilot Flying J, was recently sentenced to 12 ½ years in prison over his involvement in the infamous fuel rebate scam. He is supposed to report to prison at the end of the month, but he is now asking the judge to allow him to stay home with his family for Christmas.
While his request may sound outlandish, Hazelwood has reason to believe it might work. That’s because the judge already delayed his prison date to allow him to remain home for Thanksgiving.
Hazelwood is the highest-ranking executive at Pilot Flying J who was charged with a crime after being caught up in the fuel rebate scam. He was found guilty in February on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and witness tampering.
U.S. District Court Judge Curtis L. Collier sentenced Hazelwood to 150 months in prison and ordered him to pay a $750,000 fine.
Hazelwood’s attorneys put forward a few different arguments to let him stay out of prison a little longer. They stated that since he was a man of “family values” and “a devout Christian,” he should be allowed to spend one last Christmas with his family.
As Judge Collier himself pointed out however; “Easter, the most important Christian religious holiday, would come just a few short months after Christmas.”
His attorneys also pointed out that two other former Pilot Flying J employees don’t have to report to prison until January 7th. But prosecutors responded that since neither of those two own a yacht or a private plane, face as lengthy a prison sentence, and don’t have the same millions of dollars at their disposal, they don’t pose the same flight risk as Hazelwood.
Hazelwood was one of the top executives at Pilot Flying J and was reportedly paid as much as $15 million per year. In addition to that, when he was fired following the FBI raid on the company’s headquarters, he received a $40 million check from the company. The company also agreed to pay all of his legal bills.
“I’m devastated I’m having to stand before you today,” Hazelwood said in a statement during his sentencing hearing. “I will be appealing my conviction. I do proclaim my innocence. We should have had policies and procedures to prevent this. We didn’t. I’m truly sorry.”
But Judge Collier has denied Hazelwood’s request to stay with his family through Christmas. So, as of now anyway, he will be navigating the appeals process from prison… starting just four days after Thanksgiving.
Source: knoxnews, wbir, knoxnews, chattanoogan
Tony Hippensteel says
Bull crap!
Why is it when these low life’s get caught they always expect special treatment?
Maybe all the truckers he screwed out of discounts and rebates who had trouble putting gifts under the tree should ask for a do-over ?
Brian R. says
100% on point!!!!!
Alex Cheilik says
Ask Jimmy the,douchebag who bought the Cleveland browns screwing over truckers
googleballs says
AMEN SIR!
Mike says
That’s what I was going to say sir. I’m sick and tired of low life’s like him and so many before him getting special treatment. Myself I think he should have had to start his time the day he was sentenced like most have to do. But I’m sure he will be out in less than 2 years anyway then he can enjoy the 40 million he got.
zee says
give him and his lawyer instant jail for asking. “Devout Christian”
“with family values”. Didn’t slow any of them for scamming hard working
truckers and trucking companies. He has millions of dollars, boat and a plane, and how did he get them?
Lester says
maybe with all thise milliins of dollars he has stashed and the use of his private jet and his yacht plus season tickets sitting on the sidelines with the Cleveland Browns the wardon May allow him to have his christmas with his family with his new pimp I mean cell mate !!!
Brett Barker says
He’s a low life thief taking people who work hard every day in life just to put food on the table. Let him set in there . He should already be in there the scum bag that he is.
Dic says
Well why yer at just let him serve it out by only doing weekends…smh.
Bud Anderson says
Hiding under family and being a Christian was the liar and thief thinking about all that when stealing oh that must be the NEW Christian way these days he needs to start paying for his crime now
Juan robledo says
The best way for this man who claims to be a devout Christian is to surrender the 55 million to the court, so the court can have the money divided up and paid to those who were scammed out of their hard earned money in the first place, maybe then the judge might see the crook is on the up and up about doing a 360 in his life
MrYowler says
180… 360 would leave him still headed the same direction in life, as before…
Dave says
Very TRUE what you said. Maybe if the guy sought to make restitution he could avoid prison!
Super Trucker says
Really? This man is a devout Christian but has stolen millions of dollars from his customers? Lock him up immediately. His yacht and private jet will be just fine without him. A family man? They said John Gotti was a family man too.
Phatkhat says
Some “devout Christian” values he has, indeed. (facepalm)
David Strader says
Are you kidding me???? Your are found guilty of a crime go directly to jail as the common man has to. End the special treatment of the rich.
Cliff Downing says
I think they should delay the prison sentence indefinitely and force him to go into indentured servitude to pay back all those he wronged. Why should we have to pay $60-80,0000 a year to warehouse this guy. He should be made to work, even if it takes all of his life, to pay back all those he has wronged. Now that is true Justice.
Mike says
I totally agree let them take it out of the 40 million he gets from flying j
Cris says
Those days are coming. We soon will all be slave laborers.
MrYowler says
$750,000…
A small fraction of his earnings (stealin’s) – and it will probably be paid for him, for protecting Jimmy. Also, as a non-violent offender, he’ll go to a minimum security, most likely Federal, prison, where he will hobnob with bankers snd congressmen, at a golf club on some military base, until he is released in about 18 months on some excuse about overcrowding.
Any time someone wants to give me a $40 severance to go to that kind of prison for a year or two… I’m game…
MrYowler says
*$40 million
The difference matters… 😛
Dave says
Funny
Dave says
$15,000,000/year?? And we pay nearly $4 for a loaf of bread. Ridiculous!!!
Papa Jon says
Not counting the $40 million bonus right after the raid.
Jason says
Idk where you’re shopping at, but I get bread for $0.88….
Martin E Neltner says
It’s called the Oz Principle. Be accountable and responsible. Let’s see if he puts income forever in a truck fund to help drivers in trouble. Then we will consider that he is showing true sorrow. He should volunteer to cap his income at $70000. The rest goes to the fund. That is an example of accountability.
Keith Seadler says
Give him this option, he can stay out tell after Christmas, BUT he has to give up all good time. And when it gets Close to Christmas and his release date he CAN NOT ASK TO BE RELEASED EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS. HE ALREADY PLAYED THAT CARD.
James(Jdub) Walker says
Don’t forget all the truck owners that got screwed over by flying J’s hot fuel scam.
This POS should PAY 80 for each year he spends in prison too.
When he gets out he should not have anything.
Rufus says
I think he should do his time in Attica NY. Camp Cupcake is no place for petty thieves.
R.J. says
So, does this mean he’s been placed out-of-service…. The irony of it all.
John Cornwell says
Why should he have to report? Being a former state law enforcement officer for many years why is he even given the choice? If convicted you go….no consideration for anything since he didn’t take the time to consider what he was doing. This is why I am no longer a state officer…..our lawyers and judges are just as corrupt as the criminals they sentence….so why endorse the system by working for them?
Mike says
Amen brother I’m wondering how much money the judge received for his part of the sentence scam. I myself think hamslem himself should be going to prison also. Flying j and pilot is a huge billion dollar corporation so I would think he would have known what was going on.
Tony Jay says
This is what happens when you have a brother that’s a politician…of course this snake is going to get whatever he wants, the judge probably is taking order from both of the haslam brothers…this guy isn’t going to sit out 12.5 years… even tho if it was joe cabover? He’d get twice that sentence.
Ben says
I’m okay with him spending one more, and the last Christmas with his family. Let him celebrate!😁
MrYowler says
For the same reason that they do it… For the money. And the benefits. And the pension. And consideration from other members of the legal system…
Samuel Gallezzo says
It’s this very consideration and privilege that made them think they could break the law. If you think that the judge hasn’t been brought off or is not trying to get in the position to be bribed you’re wrong. The judge is a weasel just as much as the defendant. Only poor people and minorities get their boots smoked. I’m a truck driver and I know how important Flying J is to us. If he’s convicted then he should go to prison. Federal joints usually put out a good spread for the holidays.
Tony Jay says
My thoughts exactly!!!
Steve says
No problem. But no chance whatsoever for early release. What shall it be?.
Trog says
Hope there’s a rebate loser in cell with him.
Buck says
tell u what he needs to go prison like taht neighbor of mine who stole ma dirt and tailpiped ma gramma.
Scotty Tucker Jr. says
12 years! That’s not cool man. You got wall street thieves, bankers and lawyer, politicians,etc all stealing and when they get caught its 3-5 years. One lawyer stole over 100 million and got 8 years!!!! This was a way to harsh sentence for a petty thing.
Justin says
I agree
jack says
Miss Christmas? To bad,he is going to miss the next 12 anyway. Crook
Laurie says
If he’s a ‘devout Christian’ then I’m Tinkerbell.
Cole says
Devout Christian? The article mentions… Being a vicious thief is a great way of showing Christ his Love for all mankind!
Tony Jay says
LOCK HIM UP!!!
LOCK HIM UP!!!
if he was such a “family values” Christian? He wouldn’t be looking at prison time for STEALING!!!! LYING!!!!
These Christian hypocrites are something else!!! They lie, cheat and steal all day long, then when they get caught? THEN they want to fall back on god, the Bible, family values and whatever other religious bullsh-t they can think to avoid justice… LOCK HIM UP!!!!!
Alex says
He,should give me,75k I’ll give him something real good in return
Daehtraf says
They should make the company figure out who got cheated and give it to them. It’s always the drivers getting short changed.
Brett Williams says
drivers allow oue selves to be screwed over. we have no spine.
Brett Williams says
our selves
Robert E Rosser says
Your right, boycott those who screw drivers. And shut down companies if they cheat drivers on pay.
MrYowler says
Brett… We have no power. If you get a spine, someone is always right there to break it or shove it where the sun don’t shine.
Having no power is not the same thing as lacking courage.
ArmyVet says
How about, NO. In fact, why not just give him a lead injection? It’s not like he’s ever going to be a productive member of society ever again.
Paul Logan says
I’m special.. Clint Eastwood be damned. You can’t hang me high. I AM SPECIAL.
Jay says
Hell 4th of July only eight months away. Let’s go 4 it. Lawyer’s will say anything if the client has money. Leave him home 4 Christmas cuz he’s a devout Christian, and a man of value. Did he not notice that his client is on trail 4 quite the opposite.
Angel Gray says
If it was us truck drivers they wouldn’t delay nothing i think he should be there already!!!!!!!!
James robbins says
Screw Hazelwood he knew damn well what he was doing and celebrating it with racial music behind closed doors.. Crooked bastard!! Gets busted and still gets $40 million and gets his legal bill paid 🤷♂️ WTF!!
Margaret says
He should be in jail already screw that, no special treatment. He broke the law he goes to jail just like anyone else. He should’ve thought about that before he broke the law
Deaconblues62 says
Let him clean the pilot showers and wash towels, LOL 😂 that’ll fix him.
If the judge grants his home request, the judge 👨⚖️ probably pocketed about $80000.00 cash. WOW 😲, what a great country if you’re rich.
Ron Wood says
“They stated that since he was a man of “family values” and “a devout Christian,” REALLY ? And he “Cheats “people ? You can’t get ahead on the misery of others. Mark Hazelwood : God controls your next breath….you want to make him upset by cheating innocent people, go right ahead. There are two laws, You break man’s laws you go to jail, You break God’s laws….we will be watching, and waiting to see what happens to you. “a devout Christian,?
Brian Chapman says
Thou shalt not steal.
Wasn’t he a devout Christian when was basically committing fraud, and theft , or is this just somekind of ploy ?
POS, you get what you deserve.
Skidsteer says
A True “devout Christian” wouldn’t have been involved in this crime in the first place. Rot in jail pig.
Ariel Castillo says
Lol man of family values but scams millions, ok!
Veronica Harmon-Gunn says
Smh, prices at these truck stops are already inflated.
Then you got these rich companies further exploiting the drivers.
The average truck driver earn approximately $8-$12 per hour when calculated by 14 hr day.
I think the cent per mile is just a clever way to exploit driver wages.
Drivers average 14 hr days. $35,000-$50,000 starting salaries amount to about $10 per hour with no over time after a 40 hrs. Drivers work an average of 70 hrs every week. So you figure it out.
John says
Haha!
I needed my funny bone tickled today.
Terry Barron says
Bull Crap!! Put the convict in jail now!! He is a felon and needs to be treated as a felon! Lock his butt up! None of us truckers would have this special treatment!! This man stole money from hard working drivers and he has had his day in court and lost! Now it’s time to pay for the crime!! I could careless about his family sitting around their BIG CHRISTMAS TREES, in their big house with food and drink that we would never have and his house should have been taken under RICO laws like drug dealers!!! His cars and boats and his wife with her new body parts all should have been taken away!!! Now he wants to spend time with his family for every last holiday? Bull Crap! What about the people he took money from to in rich his family with? Screw them all and his wife! She knew what he was doing! It was probably her idea in the 1st place!!!
Chuckie says
Look at the large fleets fuel surcharge,you will see it was charged at the marquee price instead of the actual rebate price,I went thru some financial reports and discovered large fleets are paying approximately 43% of posted price yet charging a FSC based on the higher price thereby increasing consumers prices for products on the shelf,if this doesn’t wake the people up,t hey deserve to get ripped off
Kaliko Weems says
BooHoo
Do the time cry baby. You deserve much worse.
I think bringing back public spankings is appropriate.