Disgraced ex-senator Jeremy Hutchinson was sentenced Friday to 46 months in federal prison for public corruption and tax fraud.
U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker also ordered Hutchinson to pay restitution amounts of $224,497 to the state and $131,038 to the IRS. Hutchinson's sentence will be followed by three years of supervised released.
Hutchinson, the 45-year-old nephew of former Gov. Asa Hutchinson, pleaded guilty in 2019 to stealing campaign contributions and falsifying state campaign finance reports and tax filings. The plea was part of a larger settlement in a federal corruption case that snared public officials in Missouri and Arkansas.
As part of that settlement, Hutchinson pleaded guilty to accepting more than $157,000 in bribes from a Fayetteville dentist, Dr. Ben Burris, whose intent was to influence Hutchinson's actions as a legislator.
Hutchinson awaiting sentencing in a separate case where he admitted to accepting thousands of dollars in bribes to help a health nonprofit.
He resigned from the Senate in 2018 when he was first charged with spending campaign funds on personal expenses.
