GREENBELT, Md. -- The former head of Prince George's County Schools was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday.
Andre Hornsby was convicted of corruption charges in July. He was involved in a scheme to steer contracts in exchange for kickbacks, prosecutors said.
Hornsby said he considered the sentence fair. The government wanted 12 years.
Hornsby succumbed to temptation or greed for small amounts of money, the judge said. The judge called Hornsby a man of exceptional talent with an outstanding record who failed the children.
"People who sit in a job like I sat, you make mistakes every day," Hornsby said. "You don't think those mistakes will rise up to the level of a prosecution, but in this case it's obvious I had a jury of my peers who convicted me."
He declined to comment about his guilt or innocence.
In addition to the prison sentence, he must pay $20,000 in fines and $70,000 in restitution.
