Former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford gets 15 years in prison
Former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his October bribery conviction by a judge in a Tuscaloosa court Friday.
Langford was convicted on 60 federal counts of bribery in a pay-for-play case last year. he was elected mayor in 2007 and was stripped of his office upon his conviction.
Federal prosecutors claimed two Langford associates gave him money, clothes and jewelry in exchange for millions of dollars of county business. The Tuscaloosa jury came back with the guilty verdict after two hours of deliberation.
Both associates, investment banker bill Blount and Al LaPierre, pleaded guilty and testified against Langford in the two-week-long case held in a Tuscaloosa courtroom. Blount was sentenced to 52 months of prison last week while LaPierre received 48 months. Prosecutors said Blount and LaPierre bribed Langford in exchange for fees associated with sewer bond swaps.
Langford is the fifth former Jefferson County Commissioner to face charges on corruption, most related to the county’s sewer debt debacle.
Jeff Germany served 32 months at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery on four counts of misapplying county funds and one count of conspiracy. he was released in August.
Chris McNair was sentenced to 60 months in 2007 for taking bribes but has not yet been sent to prison.
Mary Buckelew pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to a grand jury about receiving bribes from a Montgomery investment banker to discuss bond transactions. she hasn’t been sentenced yet.
And Gary White was convicted on nine counts of conspiracy and bribery and also awaits sentencing.
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