Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, Texas Republican, was sentenced on Monday to three years in prison for his involvement in a money laundering scheme. He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the Associated Press.
He was sentenced by Senior Judge Pat Priest just hours after former House Speaker Dennis Hastert testified on his behalf.
DeLay, a former exterminator who became one of the most powerful men in Washington, was charged with illegally funneling corporate contributions to Republican candidates in the Texas State Legislature. He was convicted of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering by a Texas jury in November.
Originally elected in 1985, DeLay resigned from Congress in 2006.