Former DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison following last week’s conviction of one count of extortion and three counts of perjury.
Following the prison stint Ellis will be on 3.5 years of probation.
The sentencing followed a courtroom session where several Ellis supporters urged Judge Courtney Johnson to go light on the former county CEO. The supporters included such high profile persons as former Atlanta Mayor Andy Young and former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial.
This trial was the second Ellis has undergone for these charges – the first was thrown out last year after the jury was unable to come to a decision.
Ellis is now expected to begin an appeals process.
