Irvin Mayfield released after serving less than a year in federal prison

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Irvin Mayfield has been released from federal prison, having served less than a year of an 18-month sentence for defrauding the New Orleans Public Library Foundation of $1.3 million, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed.

Records obtained by Fox 8 show the disgraced musician was released from custody last Monday (Jan. 9), more than three months earlier than originally expected.

Mayfield, 45, began serving his time at FPC Pensacola, a minimum security federal prison camp for male inmates near Perdido Bay in the Florida panhandle. He reported to the prison on Jan. 12, 2022, and had an expected release date of April 21, 2023.

Neither Bureau of Prison officials nor Mayfield’s federal public defender could be reached Saturday to explain Mayfield’s early release.

Mayfield’s co-defendant -- his musical and business partner Ronald Markham -- joined the Grammy-winning trumpeter in pleading guilty to mail and wire fraud in November 2020. Each was sentenced to 18 months by US District Judge Jay Zainey.

Bureau of Prison records show Markham, 44, remains under the supervision of RRM Dallas, a Residential Reentry Management (RRM) field office in Grand Prairie, Texas. Markham’s projected release date is now March 22.

The longtime collaborators pleaded guilty after federal investigators uncovered a scheme in which they funneled money meant to fund city library needs to their personal use, by passing it through the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, which Mayfield founded. Mayfield and Markham each held board seats with NOJO and the library foundation.

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Mayfield already has lined up the first prominent gig of his comeback. President Elroy James of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club said Saturday that it has added Mayfield to the performance card for Zulu’s annual Lundi Gras Festival, Feb. 20 at Woldenberg Park.

“This year, we have the likes of Kermit Ruffins who will be out, Irvin Mayfield is bringing his band out, Teresa B., some of New Orleans’ great R&B artists that we find in some of our local night spots,” James said. “So we’re excited about it.”

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