A 14 year prison sentence has been handed to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for his involvement in corrupt practices.
The former governor was found guilty in June of 17 counts of graft, including trying to sell the US Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama.
He said he was “unbelievably sorry” and had made “terrible mistakes” at hearing in Chicago on Wednesday, December 7, 2011.
A maximum sentence of 20 years was requested by the prosecution team, claiming he was well aware that his actions were against the laws of the United States of America.
The state’s previous governor was arrested and jailed for corruption and he has followed suit painting the state in a bad picture. Blagojevich was taken into custody while still in office in 2008.
Pleading for leniency before sentencing, Blagojevich told Judge James Zagel he thought what he had been doing was “permissible”.
Acknowledging his mistake, Blagojevich said he “never set out to break the law”.
“My life is ruined, at least now,” he said. “My political career is over. I can’t be a lawyer anymore. We can’t afford the home we live in; we’re trying to sell it.
“I realise that the things I thought were permissible, the jury has made abundantly clear were not.”
He added: “Because of all that, I have jeopardised my ability to protect my children.”
The admission of guilt came after years of insisting he was innocent.