Advertisement

Ex-Illinois gov loses bid to remain free

CHICAGO, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan Tuesday lost his appeal to a U.S. Supreme Court justice and must report to federal prison in Wisconsin Wednesday.

Ryan, 73, is to begin serving a 6 ½ year sentence for corruption at the federal prison camp in Oxford, Wis., after Justice John Paul Stevens refused his request to remain free on bail while he appeals his conviction, The Chicago Tribune reported.

Advertisement

The long-time public servant and one-term Republican governor was convicted in April 2006 of accepting cash and gifts from friends and lobbyists in return for awarding them state contracts.

Co-defendant Lawrence Warner, sentenced to nearly 3 ½ years at a federal prison camp in Littleton, Colo., was also to begin serving his sentence Wednesday, the newspaper said.

Both Ryan and Warner could still appeal to the full U.S. Supreme Court for a case review.

Latest Headlines