Despite the pleas of the head of the Baltimore Teachers Union, a federal judge had little sympathy for the former Prince George's County schools CEO. The judge ordered Hornsby today to begin a six-year prison sentence Jan. 2. After that, he'll have three years of supervised release. He also has to pay a $20,000 fine and $70,000 in restitution to the P.G. schools. And he has to enroll in alcohol treatment and cooperate in an IRS audit of his taxes.

Marietta English, co-president of the Baltimore Teachers Union, spoke as a mitigating witness on Hornsby's behalf, urging the judge to have leniency. According to reporter Nick Madigan, English described Hornsby as "a visionary educator" and "a person of compassion."

"I do plead leniency for this wonderful educator who has a vision for our children," English said.

Crazy details of the case are in our story, but in short: Hornsby was convicted on corruption charges alleging that he received kickbacks on school contracts awarded to companies that employed his live-in girlfriend and his business partner. My former colleague Alec MacGillis, now a reporter for The Washington Post, broke the story of the contract scheme for The Sun in 2004.

Hornsby's lawyer asked that he serve his time in a federal prison called El Reno, west of Oklahoma City.