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Congressman Garcia's Former Chief Of Staff Released From Jail

MIAMI (CBSMiami) One of Congressman Joe Garcia's former chief of staff, was released from jail after serving time for orchestrating a fraudulent, online absentee-ballot request.

According to our news partners the Miami Herald, Jeffrey Garcia, 41, no relation to Congressman Garcia,  was released from Miami-Dade County's Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Dec. 25.

Garcia was released on the 65th day of his 90-day sentence. Corrections spokeswoman Janelle Hall told the Miami Herald, he was granted credits under Florida law that shaved days off  his sentence for every month behind bars and for working in the jail.

It's not over for him yet, Garcia must still serve three months of house arrest then he faces 15 more months of probation.  In that time period, he will not be allowed to volunteer or work for any campaigns, according to the paper.

Garcia pleaded guilty back in October for directing the congressman's 2012 campaign submit more than 1,800 absentee ballot requests online on behalf of unsuspecting voters and without their permission, which is a felony.

Florida elections law prohibits anyone other than voters or their immediate family members from submitting online ballot requests.

Garcia's attorney, Henry Bell told the Miami Herald, "He's accepted responsibility for what he did, and he's moving on with his life."

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