CHARLESTON — Former state Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry was sentenced Wednesday afternoon to spend two years in federal prison after his conviction last fall on total counts of wire fraud and mail fraud.
U.S. District Judge John Copenhaver enhanced the federal sentencing guidelines by three levels. The guidelines called for a sentence of 10 to 16 months.
Copehaver told Loughry he wasn’t the only one that caused the problems with the financial controversy on the state Supreme Court but “your conduct has contributed mightily.”
Loughry was convicted last October on 11 criminal counts in connection with finances involving the state Supreme Court and Loughry’s personal use of state property.
The mail fraud counts charged Loughry with improperly seeking travel expense reimbursement for travel to a conference, even though he had used a state vehicle and a state-issued gasoline purchasing card.
The similar wire fraud counts charged Loughry with using a state vehicle and state-issued gasoline purchasing card for personal travel. Most of those trips were for signing events for Loughry’s book on political corruption in West Virginia.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
