Ney moves to halfway house

MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, convicted in a corruption probe tied to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, has been moved from a federal prison in West Virginia.

Officials at the prison in Morgantown said Wednesday Ney will finish his 30-month sentence at an undisclosed halfway house location, Congressional Quarterly reported Wednesday.

Ney, a former chairman of the House Administration Committee, resigned Nov. 3, 2006, after pleading guilty about a month earlier to making false statements and conspiracy to commit fraud. The charges stem from his ties to former lobbyist Abramoff, who is also in federal prison.

Ney admitted taking gifts from Abramoff in return for political favors.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons said Ney would be released from the bureau's custody Aug. 16, and could be transferred to home confinement in Ohio before then. He reported to the Morgantown facility March 1, 2007.

His release date is dependent on Ney compiling "good time" credit.