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Former Ouachita County Judge Mike Hesterly Sentenced to 33 Months

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Former Ouachita County Judge Mike Hesterly was sentenced Tuesday to 33 months in prison and one year of supervised released for one count of  bribery related to a federal disaster relief contract.

Hesterly, 50, was sentenced in federal court in El Dorado after pleading guilty in June to bribery involving a Federal Emergency Management Agency contract to clean up debris following October 2009 storms in the county. He entered the plea as part of an agreement in which other charges were dropped.

“With today’s sentence a strong message has been sent regarding our office’s continuing commitment to aggressively pursue individuals who violate the public’s trust through their own greed and complete abdication of the duties they were sworn to uphold,” U.S. Attorney Eldridge said in a news release. 

“This type of conduct by a public official offends taxpayers and citizens as well as all of the other public officials who are truly dedicated to their service.”

Federal prosecutors say Hesterly awarded a nearly $70,000 FEMA contract to Harry Clemons Jr. of Bearden in exchange for a $4,000 campaign contribution from Clemons. Clemons pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy as part of a plea agreement. He received two years of probation, a period of home confinement, a $2,500 fine and was ordered to pay restitution. 

Hesterly resigned as county judge in April.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)

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