Bill Allen, the former chief of an Alaska oil services company who became the key government witness in the Ted Stevens trial last year, was sentenced to three years in prison today for his role in the wide-ranging public corruption scandal in the state.
Allen was also fined $750,000.
The Anchorage Daily News reports from the courtroom:
U.S. District Judge John Sedwick acknowledged Allen’s cooperation with the long-running federal investigation. Allen pleaded guilty to bribery, conspiracy and tax charges more than two years ago and since has been a key witness in a string of high-profile corruption trials. “He did what he could with what he had, and the system is designed to give benefits to people who do that,” the judge said. …Allen, who once ran the leading oil-field business in Alaska, Veco Corp., told the court he “crossed the line” but that he was trying to do what was best for the state in advocating for construction of a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope.
“Probably trying to push it too hard, that’s when I went over the line,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t have done that, but I did.”
Here’s a primer on Allen, and here’s TPMmuckraker’s full coverage of the man.
We particularly recommend this post from October 2008, featuring audio of calls between Allen and Stevens, and this post on Allen’s reminiscences of drinking wine and smoking cigars with Stevens.
Disqus Conversations
Click here to read the Disqus Commenting FAQ.