JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Former Jacksonville Port chairman Tony Nelson was sentenced to 40 months in prison today in a federal court.
A jury convicted Nelson on bribery charges stemming from nearly $150,000 he received from a dredging company in exchange for influence at the port.
Federal prosecutors had damaging recorded conversations between Nelson and dredge company owner Lance Young in building their bribery case.
Nelson said following the three hour hearing that he will appeal the sentence and maintains he did nothing illegal.
"You won't find one person or anyone from JAXPORT to say Tony Nelson ever asked them to do anything for the company. So it's Black History month, today I think I made black history in Jacksonville," said Nelson.
Lance Young who pled guilty to bribery charges and assisted federal agents in their investigation was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment on Nelson's plans to appeal and the 40-month prison sentence.
Under sentencing guidelines, Nelson could have received a ten year sentence.
First Coast News