Jewell Harris Sr., former state lawmaker, was sentenced on Thursday to a maximum of six years in prison for his fraud convictions. Judge James Moody ordered Harris to self-report to the Oxford Prison Camp in Wisconsin on September 1. Harris is also to immediately pay the City of Gary $1.53 million in restitution.
At his trial in January, Harris was convicted of double-billing the City of Gary for work his hauling company did in 2001 during construction of the Steel Yard baseball stadium. Contractor Rieth-Riley also paid Harris' company for the same work during that time period.
On the stand Thursday, Harris argued the City of Gary was not the victim of double-billing. Rieth-Riley paid his company $91,000 for which the city also paid his company. Harris stated the IRS, Rieth-Riley officials and truck drivers in the case lied on the stand about actual work performed.
"I'm surprised that he would take the stand and try to controvert all the evidence at trial," Assistant U.S. Attorney Bernard Van Wormer said. "That tells me he's sorry he got caught, not sorry that he did it."
Defense attorney Kevin Milner said they will appeal both the conviction and the length of Harris' sentence.