SEWER CONTRACTOR SENTENCED TO PRISON

BIRMINGHAM, AL - FLOYD W. "PAT" DOUGHERTY, 64, of Birmingham, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to fifty-one months in prison. He was indicted on charges of bribery and conspiracy in connection with the Jefferson County Sewer Contracts. He was found guilty of the charges following a jury trial in late 2006.

In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler fined DOUGHERTY $750,000, and ordered him to pay $225,149.00 in restitution to the Jefferson County Commission. He will serve 3 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.

Also sentenced today was DOUGHERTY's company F.W. DOUGHERTY ENGINEERING & ASSOCIATES. Judge Coogler sentenced the company to five years probation and fined $3,830,760.00.

"Bribing government officials to get business for your company, at the taxpayers' expense, should mean serious prison time and substantial fines. I'm pleased to see this court's tough stance today," stated Alice H. Martin United States Attorney.

DOUGHERTY and his Company were found guilty by a jury after finding that they corruptly gave things of value to former Jefferson County Commissioner Chris McNair and to the former Director of the Jefferson County Environmental Services Department, Jack W. Swann. The jury determined that they gave those things of value with the intent to influence and reward the county officials for supporting DOUGHERTY's interests in getting sewer construction contracts. Both McNair and Swann were found guilty in their trials and are awaiting sentencing.

This matter was investigated by federal agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The matter was prosecuted by Department of Justice Trial Attorneys William D. Dillon and Deana Timberlake Wiley.