WSB's Veronica Waters reports Campbell, 52, was convicted of three counts of tax evasion in March after a two-month trial. He will serve one year supervised probation after his release from prison, and must pay over $62,000 in back taxes. The judge found Campbell had over $160,000 in unreported income.

Judge Richard Story enhanced the sentence in part because he believed some of Campbell's unreported taxable income came from bribes from a golfing buddy, Dan DeBardelaben, and because he said Campbell obstructed justice when he took travel documents from a poker buddy back in 2000 after the man had been interviewed by the feds.

The revelation from Campbell's former friend and travel agent, Gabe Pascarella, was a new one, which Pascarella testified he only recalled during the month after Campbell's conviction. Judge Story said he doubted the memory was a forgotten one, but thinks it was true, saying Pascarella probably revealed the fact to federal agents because he'd also recently admitted he'd taped the 2000 interview with investigators and was worried about his own fate.

"Some wonderful things happened during your administration," Story told Campbell, remarking upon Campbell's success in replacing dilapidated public housing and increasing affordable housing for city residents. But Story said there had been disappointment, too.

"The reality is there was significant corruption during your administration as Mayor," said the judge, recalling that several former City Hall staffers had been before him for sentencing in the long corruption probe, as well as contractors whom the judge said felt as if they had to "pay to play" to get jobs with the city.

Story said he wasn't convinced Campbell had accepted responsibility for his actions.

The judge said he would recommend that Campbell be imprisoned in a facility close to his family. The former mayor will be allowed to surrender at an as-yet-undetermined date. The defense will likely ask that Campbell remain free on bond while his appeal is underway

U. S. Attorney David Nahmias called the sentence just. Earlier estimates put Campbell's expected maximum sentence at 27 months.

"If you do what Mayor Campbell did, which is refuse to accept any responsibility, go to trial, be convicted, obstruct justice, and still refuse to accept responsibility, your sentence will, under the guidelines, be higher," Nahmias said.

Asked if this was a big victory for the Government, Nahmias replied, "It's always hard to talk about victories.

"It's always a sad day when somebody who had such great promise turned the wrong way."

Tuesday, 13 June 2006