THE ASSOCIATED PRESS--A Florida Panhandle developer has pleaded guilty to a charge of making a false statement to federal election officials.
Destin Developer Jay Odom told a federal judge Tuesday that he engineered a scheme to circumvent federal election laws and funnel money to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee during Huckabee's 2007 presidential run.
Prosecutors agreed to drop a charge of violating election laws in exchange for Odom pleading guilty to making false statements.
Odom faces up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines at an April 23 hearing.
Odom's dealings with former Republican Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom helped prompt Sansom's resignation after allegations surfaced that Sansom used state money to build an airplane hangar for Odom. Criminal charges in that case were eventually dropped.
