A former Prince George's County Council lobbyist is being held without bail after pleading guilty Tuesday to driving under the influence.
David A. Jacobs, the husband of county school board chairwoman Verjeana M. Jacobs (At Large), pleaded guilty in District Court to charges stemming from a traffic stop April 29. He had worked the past two years as a lobbyist for the County Council in the Maryland General Assembly, earning $36,000 each session for his work.
Jacobs is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 18, said Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for Prince George's County State's Attorney's Glenn Ivey. He could face jail or be sent to a treatment program and given probation, Korionoff said.
A council spokeswoman said that David Jacobs has not been working for the council since the end of the 2009 General Assembly session in mid-April, adding that she was not sure he would be hired to represent the legislative group in the next session.
"The council really hasn't made a decision," said spokeswoman Karen Campbell.
Jacobs, 53, was charged April 29 with driving under the influence at the intersection of Enterprise Road and Route 50 in Bowie, three miles from his Mitchellville home, according to court records.
Calls to Jacobs and his attorney, Thomas Mooney, were not returned. Calls to Verjeana Jacobs also were not returned.
According to court records, David Jacobs was on probation at the time of his April arrest. In June 2008, Jacobs was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation and was fined $250 for driving with a suspended license and registration.
Jacobs pleaded guilty in 2002 to charges of driving while intoxicated from a January 2001 traffic stop in Charles County, according to court records.
The charges against Jacobs were first reported in The Washington Post, which also listed allegations of drunken driving dating back to 1992.
Leslie Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter in Prince George's County, said she was concerned by the case.
"Obviously he has a drinking problem," Thomas said. "I don't think this guy should be on the road anymore."
The case shows how drunken driving occurs at all levels of society, she said.
"This man had hands in a lot. His wife is on the school board," she said. "He should be responsible and mature. He has enough money that he doesn't have to drive if he isn't able to."