Former Louisiana Representative Gets Longest Sentence For Corruption

November 14, 2009 8:36 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Former Louisiana representative William J. Jefferson was sentenced Friday to 13 years in prison for corruption.

The sentence was the longest to be meted on a congressman convicted of corruption charges, surpassing the 8-year, 4-months sentence meted on ex-congressman Randall "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) in 2006.

Jefferson, 62, was convicted in August of 11 of 16 counts of bribery, racketeering and money laundering. FBI agents who raided his home in 2005 found $90,000 wrapped in tin foil inside a freezer. The money was given by an FBI informant.

The FBI again raided his office and seized his computer sparking condemnation from Congress.