Former Jefferson County Commissioner and Birmingham City Councilman John Katopodis was sentenced to 3 years, 10 months behind bars. Last Summer, Katopodis was convicted on 97 counts of mail and wire fraud for taking money from a children's computer charity and using it for personal use. U.S. District Judge Karen Bowdre says she will recommend a minimum security prison for Katopodis and will take 8 months off his sentence for time already served in the Shelby County jail.

Katopodis must forfeit $162,910 and was ordered to pay $166,910 in restitution. Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of nearly six years for Katapodis. Defense attorneys for Katopodis plan to appeal the sentence.