Three former St. Louis aldermen sentenced in bribery case

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Three former St. Louis aldermen, including the longtime board president, will go to prison for accepting bribes from a businessman.

The sentences handed down Tuesday in federal court ended a three-year investigation. The businessman provided bribes in exchange for tax breaks and a reduced rate in obtaining a city-owned property. Federal officials have not named the businessman but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported he is facing his own federal charges.

Former aldermanic President Lewis Reed was sentenced to nearly four years in prison on two bribery-related charges. Reed also was fined $18,500.

Former Alderman Jeffrey L. Boyd was sentenced to three years in prison for bribery, wire fraud and insurance fraud. He was fined nearly $24,000.

Former Alderman John Collins-Muhammad was sentenced to nearly four years in prison and fined $19,500 for bribery and fraud crimes.

All three men are Democrats who were indicted in May and pleaded guilty in August.

“The victims here — the 300,000 residents of the city of St. Louis — expect their elected officials to do their jobs honestly and honorably, not line their pockets and swap official actions for cash,” U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming said in a news release.