The Nashville jury in the federal corruption trial of former state Sen. John Ford has begun its deliberations. Both sides gave their closing arguments Wednesday.The trial began July 1.more>> A federal prosecutor told a Nashville jury Wednesday that former state Sen. John Ford of Memphis had a duty to the people of Tennessee but chose instead to serve himself.more>> Prosecutors in Nashville introduced evidence Monday from the Tennessee Waltz public corruption case in a second, unrelated federal trial against former state Sen. John Ford of Memphis. more>>
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Former Tennessee state Sen. John Ford has been sentenced to 14 years in prison on federal charges of wire fraud and failing to report more than $800,000 in payments from state contractors.
Ford, 66, of Memphis was sentenced Monday in Nashville after being convicted in July of taking money from government contractors and lobbying for them while he served in the Tennessee Senate.
Jurors found Ford guilty of two charges of wire fraud and four charges of making false statements on official documents.
The maximum penalty was 20 years on the wire fraud charges and five years on the other counts.
Ford is already serving a 51/2-year federal sentence on an unrelated bribery conviction. He won't begin the new sentence until finishing the bribery term, which began April 28.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
