Harvel Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison

Convicted of sex abuse, kidnaping and civil rights violations, former Solid Waste Director for Cumberland County Mike Harvel received a 17 year sentence. 

Harvel will receive credit for the 2 years he has already served and must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before he can be considered for parole.  Another 5 years of parole will be required if he is released.

The Federal Judge required that neither Harvel or any of his friends contact any of the victims. 

An appeal is expected to be filed on Harvel's behalf by a public defender.

Several friends and family members testified on Harvel's behalf and 9 of his victims gave victim impact statements. 

Mike Harvel to be Sentenced Thursday April 20

The Sentencing for Former Cumberland County Solid Waste Director and former County Commissioner Mike Harvel is set for Thursday April 20 in a Federal Court in Nashville.

In December 2022 Harvel was convicted by a federal jury of 9 counts of civil rights violations, including kidnapping and sexual assault.

The Department of Justice is seeking life in prison for Harvel as outlined in a Sentencing Memorandum filed with the court Monday.

The defense has filed a motion asking that Harvel be sentenced to 120 months (Ten years). The defense outlines the reasons including Harvel had no previous record and a his myriad of medical problems. Harvel is 61 years old.

State charges in connection with the incidents leading to his federal convictions remain pending.

In 2021, a sexual harassment lawsuit against Cumberland County was settled for $1.1 million. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, that Cumberland County failed to take adequate precautions to prevent Harvel, as the director of the county’s Solid Waste Department, from sexually harassing women he supervised. According to the complaint, Harvel regularly subjected the women to unwanted sexual contact, including kissing and groping, and to unwelcome sexual advances.

Mike Harvel State Arrest Mug Shot