Ex-JeffCo Official Off to Jail

Former Jefferson County commissioner Chris McNair on Monday reported to a federal prison in Illinois to begin a five-year sentence for corruption related to contracts for rebuilding the county’s sewer system, according to the Birmingham News.

The U.S. Supreme Court in March refused to consider his appeal. McNair has asked President Obama for clemency.

McNair was convicted for taking bribes while contractors sought lucrative contracts on the county’s ailing sewer system, which was being rebuilt under federal court order.

To date, 21 people have been convicted in relation to the sewer scandal. Three of those convictions were related to the $3.2 billion of sewer warrants and related swaps sold to finance the construction project.

In March, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta heard oral arguments in the appeal of former Jefferson County Commission President Larry Langford.

Langford is seeking to overturn his 2009 conviction on 60 counts of bribery, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, conspiracy, and filing a false tax return. He contends that he did not get a fair trial.

Langford’s case is related to the financings for the sewer rehabilitation project, which he orchestrated.

He began serving a 15-year sentence last April. The appeals court has yet to rule in his case.

The Securities and Exchange Commission continues to pursue criminal charges against former JPMorgan bankers Charles LeCroy and Douglas MacFaddin, who worked on Jefferson County’s sewer deals.

JPMorgan remains the county’s largest creditor.

The SEC claims that LeCroy and MacFaddin made more than $8 million in undisclosed payments to friends of certain Jefferson County commissioners and broker-dealers to ensure that JPMorgan would be managing underwriter and chosen swap provider in 2002 and 2003.

MacFaddin recently filed a motion seeking to depose Langford in prison.

Federal Judge Abdul Kallon granted MacFaddin’s request but said that Langford did not have to give a deposition until after the appeals court ruled on his appeal.

Kallon also recently ruled that several other depositions could be delayed until after Dec. 1. They include one from Montgomery bond dealer William Blount, who took a plea deal after he was indicted along with Langford and Al LaPierre, who acted as a middleman between Blount and Langford. LaPierre also took a plea deal.

The U.S. Justice Department requested that depositions be delayed. In a court filing, it said the SEC case “overlaps with a portion of the broader industry investigation being conducted in New York” into federal antitrust, fraud, and tax violations as a result of the fraudulent marketing and sale of investment agreements and swaps.

As part of his plea arrangement, Blount agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations. He is serving a sentence of four years and four months on one count each of conspiracy and ­bribery.

Blount forfeited $1 million and was prohibited from having any securities-related or advisory business with a government. He must also get court permission to practice law again.

LaPierre is serving four years on one count each of conspiracy and filing a false tax return. He forfeited $371,932 and was ordered to pay $98,433 in back federal taxes.

He has been prohibited from being a lobbyist or serving as a consultant to any government.

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