Former US lawmaker sentenced to 30 months in prison

WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (Reuters) Former Republican Representative Bob Ney of Ohio was sentenced on Friday to 2 1/2 years in prison for his role in the Jack Abramoff political corruption scandal that helped Democrats win control of the US Congress.

Standing before the judge, a sorrowful Ney apologized to his family, friends and constituents, and said he was battling ''the demons of addiction that are within me.'' The former US lawmaker had pleaded guilty to illegally accepting trips, meals, drinks, tickets to concerts and sporting events and other items worth tens of thousands of dollars in return for official acts performed for the onetime lobbyist Abramoff and his clients.

He abandoned his re-election race in August because of questions about his links to Abramoff, and is the only lawmaker convicted and sentenced in the scandal.

US District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle said that after Ney serves his prison time he will be on probation for two years and must perform 100 hours of community service in each of the years. He also is required not to drink any alcohol while on probation.

The judge also fined Ney 6,000 dollars.

Huvelle said Ney betrayed the public trust. ''As a member of Congress, you had a responsibility to set an example,'' she said.

Huvelle said his problems with alcohol do not explain all of his illegal conduct that occurred over a four-year period.

Reuters LL DB2242