Federal judge cuts 30 months from prison sentence for former Rite Aid executive Franklin Brown

Judge cuts 30 months from ex-Rite Aid exec’s term

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Former Rite Aid Corp. chief counsel Franklin Brown is heading back to federal prison after a judge resentenced him.

U.S. Middle District Judge Sylvia Rambo on Wednesday imposed a 7½-year sentence on Brown for conspiracy, obstruction, lying to federal regulators and witness tampering. He’s been free on bail since winning a chance to be resentenced.

Brown is scheduled to return to prison Oct. 18. He has already served about 5½ years of his original 10-year sentence.

Brown’s convictions stem from his role in a $1.6 billion accounting scandal that severely hurt the value of Rite Aid’s stock and forced the company to retroactively lower net earnings in July 2000. Former chairman and chief executive Martin Grass pleaded guilty in the case and completed his sentence in January.