A former deputy director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services and a former West Memphis City Council member were sentenced Thursday to federal prison for their roles in a bribery scheme.
Steven B. Jones, 51, a former deputy director of ADHS, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, one year of supervised release and a $6,000 fine.
Phillip W. Carter, 47, a former probation officer in Crittenden County and a former West Memphis City Council member, was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release.
Jones pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Carter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal funds bribery and honest services wire fraud in September.
The case involves Ted Suhl, 50, of Warm Springs, who was indicted in December by a federal grand jury for bribing Jones.
The indictment alleges that Suhl bribed Jones to perform acts that benefitted Suhl and his mental health companies and to provide internal ADHS information to Suhl.
According to prosecutors, the scheme began around April 2007, when Suhl, Jones and Carter allegedly met at restaurants in Memphis and rural Arkansas for Suhl to request assistance from Jones.
