Will Campos
{{Short description|American politician (born 1974)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = William A. Campos
| state_delegate = Maryland
| district = 47B
| term_start = January 14, 2015
| term_end = September 10, 2015
| predecessor = Doyle L. Niemann
as District 47
| successor = Carlo Sanchez
| office1 = Member of the Prince George's County Council from District 2
| term_start1 = November 2004
| term_end1 = December 1, 2014
| predecessor1 = Peter A. Shapiro
| successor1 = Deni Taveras
| birth_name = William A. Campos
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|10|7}}
| birth_place = El Salvador
| party = Democrat
| spouse = Married
}}
William A. Campos (born October 7, 1974{{cite web |title=Will Campos, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/former/html/msa14740.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=July 20, 2022 |date=March 11, 2022}}) is an American politician from Prince George's County, Maryland convicted for corruption in 2018. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates and on the Prince George's County Council.
Early life
Born in El Salvador, Campos attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland; the University of Maryland, College Park, receiving a B.A. in ancient art history & archaeology; and the University of Maryland, University College, receiving a B.S. in computer studies & information systems.
Political career
Prior to holding office, Campos in 2002 was an aide to then-Delegate Victor R. Ramirez, District 47, Prince George's County.
Campos represented District 2 on the Prince George's County Council for ten years, winning a special election in 2004 when his predecessor resigned, and subsequently being elected to two four-year terms.
Subject to term limits, he then ran for, and won, the District 47B seat in the House of Delegates.{{cite news|last1=Turque|first1=Bill|last2=Wagner|first2=John|title=Maryland ballots for June primaries are finalized on the final day for candidate to file|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/maryland-ballots-for-june-primaries-are-finalized-on-the-final-day-for-candidate-to-file/2014/02/25/488aa28a-9e5e-11e3-a050-dc3322a94fa7_story.html|access-date=September 16, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 25, 2014}} He served in the House of Delegates for nine months.
Campos resigned his House seat on September 10, 2015, for "personal reasons", citing "his recent marriage, desire to start a family and lack of employment outside the State House."{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/latino-state-lawmaker-from-prince-georges-resigns-9-months-into-job/2015/09/10/c8b58600-57ee-11e5-8bb1-b488d231bba2_story.html|last1=Hernández|first1=Arelis R.|title=Latino state lawmaker from Prince George's resigns 9 months into job|access-date=September 14, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 12, 2015}}
Conviction
On January 5, 2017, Campos pleaded guilty to accepting about $40,000 to $50,000 in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for official favors. As part of the plea agreement, Campos was required to give up the money he collected in the scheme and pay restitution of at least $340,000. He also faced up 15 years in prison for the bribery and conspiracy charges.{{cite news|last1=Bui|first1=Lynh|last2=Hernández|first2=Arelis R.|title=Former Md. State Del. Will Campos pleads guilty to accepting bribes for official favors|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/former-md-state-del-will-campos-pleads-guilty-to-accepting-bribes-for-official-favors/2017/01/10/a2239774-d746-11e6-9a36-1d296534b31e_story.html|access-date=January 11, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 10, 2017}} Campos was sentenced in May 2018 to 54 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.{{cite press release |last1=U.S. Attorney's Office |first1=District of Maryland |title=Former Maryland State Delegate And County Councilman Sentenced To More Than Four Years In Prison For Participation In Bribery Scheme |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/former-maryland-state-delegate-and-county-councilman-sentenced-more-four-years-prison |publisher=Department of Justice |access-date=March 18, 2019 |location=Greenbelt, Maryland |date=May 18, 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/former-md-state-del-william-a-campos-sentenced-in-bribery-scheme/2018/05/16/ba160e22-5916-11e8-8836-a4a123c359ab_story.html |title=Former Md. state Del. William A. Campos sentenced in bribery scheme |date=May 17, 2018 |first1=Lynh |last1=Bui |newspaper=The Washington Post |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}} It was reported in June 2020 that amid the COVID-19 pandemic Campos was transferred to a halfway house in the Baltimore area to complete his sentence more than a year before his projected release date.{{cite news |last1=MacFarlane |first1=Scott |title=Maryland Ex-Lawmakers in Prison for Bribery Get Early Release Amid Coronavirus Crisis |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/maryland-ex-lawmakers-in-prison-for-bribery-get-early-release-amid-coronavirus-crisis/2342983/ |access-date=October 21, 2021 |work=WRC-TV |date=June 24, 2020}}
Election results
=2004=
:
| class="wikitable"
|+ 2004 Prince George's County Council General Election Results, District 2{{cite web|title=2004 Presidential General Election Official Results|url=https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2004/general/032.html|website=elections.maryland.gov|publisher=State Board of Elections|access-date=July 20, 2022|date=December 8, 2004}} | |||
| Candidate | Votes | Party | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Will Campos | 16,308 | Democratic | 88.5% (Winner) |
| {{Party shading/Republican}}
| Tommy S. Priestley | 2,119 | Republican | 11.5% |
=2006=
:
| class="wikitable"
|+ 2006 Prince George's County Council General Election Results, District 2{{cite web|title=Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Prince George's County|url=https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2006/results/general/local_office_Prince_Georges_County.html|website=elections.maryland.gov|publisher=State Board of Elections|access-date=July 20, 2022}} | |||
| Candidate | Votes | Party | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Will Campos | 10,917 | Democratic | 97.9% (Winner) |
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Anthony Cicoria | 159 | Democratic (write in) | 1.4% |
| Other Write-Ins | 74 | 0.7% |
=2010=
:
| class="wikitable"
|+ 2010 Prince George's County Council Primary Election Results, District 2{{cite web|title=2010 Gubernatorial Primary|url=https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/Primary/gen_results_2010_1_by_county_170.html|website=elections.maryland.gov|publisher=State Board of Elections|access-date=July 20, 2022}} | |||
| Candidate | Votes | Party | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Will Campos | 4,041 | Democratic | 78.8% (Winner) |
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Dottie McNeill | 784 | Democratic | 15.3% |
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Sabrena Turner | 305 | Democratic | 5.9% |
:
| class="wikitable"
|+ 2010 Prince George's County Council General Election Results, District 2{{cite web|title=2010 General Election Results|url=https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/General/gen_results_2010_2_by_county_170.html|website=elections.maryland.gov|publisher=State Board of Elections|access-date=July 20, 2022}} | |||
| Candidate | Votes | Party | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Will Campos | 11,198 | Democratic | 99.4% (Winner) |
| Other Write-Ins | 67 | 0.6% |
=2014=
:
| class="wikitable"
|+ 2014 House of Delegates Primary Election Results, District 47B{{cite web|title=Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates|url=https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/primary/gen_results_2014_1_01647B.html|website=elections.maryland.gov|publisher=State Board of Elections|access-date=July 20, 2022|date=July 16, 2014}} | |||
| Candidate | Votes | Party | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Will Campos | 1,193 | Democratic | 100.0% (Winner) |
:
| class="wikitable"
|+ 2014 House of Delegates General Election Results, District 47B{{cite web|title=Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates|url=https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/General/gen_results_2014_2_01647B.html|website=elections.maryland.gov|publisher=State Board of Elections|access-date=July 20, 2022|date=December 2, 2014}} | |||
| Candidate | Votes | Party | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Will Campos | 3,182 | Democratic | 99.3% (Winner) |
| Other Write-Ins | 21 | 0.7% |
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campos, Will}}
Category:American politicians of Salvadoran descent
Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Maryland
Category:Maryland politicians convicted of crimes
Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates
Category:Politicians from Prince George's County, Maryland
Category:Salvadoran emigrants to the United States
Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni
Category:University of Maryland Global Campus alumni
Category:County commissioners in Maryland
Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly