A former Suffolk legislator found out Thursday how much time he will serve behind bars for a bribery conviction.

Wayne Prospect was sentenced to 2-and-a-half to 7 years in prison after he was found guilty in May of taking money from a detective posing as a contractor in exchange for county projects. Though Prospect?s attorney was pushing for probation, both sides claimed a victory with the sentence. Defense Attorney Christopher Cassar says the pretrial offer was 3 to 9 years, so any reduction is a win. Prosecutors say any jail sentence sends a strong message about corruption in county government.

Prospect, who missed his initial August 3 sentencing date due to illness, faces separate tax evasion charges. His attorney says he plans to appeal the sentence.

Related Information: Former Suffolk Legislator Prospect fails to show up for sentencing