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Former Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long leaves the Joel W. Solomon Building in September 2008.Photo by Tim Barber /Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Former Sheriff Billy Long will get three years off his original sentence after some legal maneuvering in the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Long’s attorney, Jerry Summers, filed motions in an effort to reduce Long’s 14-year sentence after the 6th Circuit sent his sentencing back for reconsideration to Judge Harry “Sandy” Mattice.
Summers argued that Long’s sentence should be shortened because he didn’t fight the charges and cooperated.
Long participated in the hearing by conference call.
He pleaded guilty in May 2008 to 19 counts of extortion, six counts of money laundering, one count of providing a firearm to a felon and one count of cocaine possession.
Todd South covers courts, poverty, technology, military and veterans for the Times Free Press. He has worked at the paper since 2008 and previously covered crime and safety in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. Todd’s hometown is Dodge City, Kan. He served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq before returning to school for his journalism degree from the University of Georgia. Todd previously worked at the Anniston (Ala.) Star. Contact ...
