In August of last year, former New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez resigned his seat after being found guilty of over a dozen felony charges.

This week saw the Democrat's nightmare grow worse as Menendez was forced to show up at a federal prison.

Former senator begins 11-year sentence

According to the New York Post, the 71-year-old former lawmaker began serving his 11-year sentence at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Schuylkill on Tuesday.

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website explains that FCI Schuylkill is a medium security prison which is located in Minersville, Pennsylvania.

However, it also has an adjacent minimum security satellite camp, which is where Menendez is expected to serve the bulk of his sentence.

The Post noted how Menendez will be entitled to receive four visitors each month and will be permitted to send letters and postcards. He will also be allowed to purchase shampoo, toothpaste, and snacks from the prison commissary.

Over half a million dollars in cash and gold at Menendez's house

The former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair's legal problems began in September of 2023 when he was indicted for his role in a foreign bribery scheme.

A Department of Justice (DOJ) press release stated that FBI agents discovered nearly $480,000 in cash along with $100,000 worth of gold bars during a raid on Menendez's home.

"The FBI has made investigating public corruption a top priority since our founding — nothing has changed," FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said.

"The alleged conduct in this conspiracy damages the public’s faith in our system of government and brings undue scorn to the honest and dedicated public servants who carry out their duties on a daily basis," Smith added.

John Fetterman slammed Menendez as a "sleazeball"

Then U.S. Attorney Damian Williams declared that "Menendez and his wife engaged in a corrupt relationship with Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes – three New Jersey businessmen who collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold, a Mercedes Benz, and other things of value – in exchange for Senator Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich those businessmen and to benefit the Government of Egypt."

Menendez had long resisted calls to step down, a fact which drew criticism from colleagues like Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.

Sen John Fetterman (D-PA) to CNN’s @mkraju on Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ):

“He’s got to go … And that arrogance, where he’s now saying, ‘I’m not going anywhere’ — it’s like, my dude, you are going somewhere. It’s going to be an election or it’s going to be a conviction.” pic.twitter.com/Eo6YmYsjzP

— The Recount (@therecount) September 28, 2023

Fetterman slammed Menendez during a 2023 interview with CNN's chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju, calling him arrogant and a "sleazeball."