Former Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long will spend less time in federal prison.
U.S. Judge Harry "Sandy" Mattice agreed Wednesday to reduce Long's sentence from 135 months to 120 months, meaning he could be eligible for release in 2018.
Long pleaded guilty in 2008 to 27 of 28 counts on an indictment involving extortion, money laundering, providing a firearm to a felon, and possession of more than 5 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute.
Former Sheriff Billy Long is led out of the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building after being sentenced to prison.
U.S. District Judge Harry S. "Sandy" MatticeProsecutors alleged that Long extracted as much as $525,000 from area small-business owners through an illegal campaign contribution scheme.
When federal agents learned of the scheme, they worked a reverse-sting operation from February 2007 to February 2008 before charging the then-sheriff.
In 2012, after Long had served more than four years in prison, a judge lopped three years off of Long's 14-year sentence.
About one year later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected an appeal for further reduction of Long's sentence.
Attorney Jerry Summers argued for another reduction in Long's sentence in December 2014 as federal guidelines for non-violent drug offenders became more lenient.
In February 2015, Bill Killian, then U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, said the government did not oppose such a reduction and deferred to the court's judgment.
"To his credit, (Long) has not incurred any disciplinary sanctions while incarcerated," Killian wrote in a motion.
Summers was not immediately available for comment today.