FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Court records show that a former lobbyist who pleaded guilty to bribing three former Arkansas lawmakers will be sentenced this month.
Rusty Cranford could face up to 10 years in federal prison for bribing Sen. Jon Woods, Rep. Hank Wilkins and Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, the nephew of Gov. Asa Hutchinson and son of former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson. Cranford had hoped to increase revenue for the Missouri-based nonprofit Preferred Family HealthCare.
Cranford also confessed to embezzling from the nonprofit where he worked. His attorney declined to comment.
The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that court records posted Tuesday show he’ll be sentenced Nov. 25.
A federal grand jury in Missouri indicted Cranford on one count of conspiracy and eight counts of accepting bribes.