U.S. judge upholds 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois governor
A federal judge on Tuesday upheld the 14-year prison sentence for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich despite his emotional plea for leniency after an appeals court had set aside part of his public corruption conviction. U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel ruled Blagojevich, 59, must remain in a Colorado prison, siding with demands by prosecutors that he serve out his original, full sentence through 2024. "I am sympathetic to ... how painful this situation is to them," Zagel said, referring to Blagojevich's family.