Longmeyer Pleads Guilty to State Charge in Bribery Case

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – Former Kentucky Personnel Cabinet Secretary Tim Longmeyer has pleaded guilty to a state felony charge related to a kickback scheme.

The Courier-Journal reports (http://cjky.it/2hqj0ox ) that Longmeyer pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of misuse of confidential information.

In a plea agreement, Franklin County Commonwealth Attorney Larry Cleveland recommended a five-year prison sentence. He said Longmeyer could serve that time concurrent with the nearly six-year sentence he begins serving next month on a related federal bribery conviction.

Longmeyer pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge in April after he acknowledged receiving more than $200,000 in kickbacks from a public relations firm.

Longmeyer also has agreed to pay about $200,000 to settle 45 counts of violations with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

Sentencing on the state charge is scheduled Jan. 3.