BALTIMORE — The former mayor of Baltimore has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Catherine Pugh was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Baltimore for leading a scheme that sold her self-published children’s books to nonprofit organizations to promote her political career and fund her run for mayor.
The 69-year-old former mayor pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy and tax evasion charges in November.
The veteran Democratic politician was elected mayor in 2016 and resigned under pressure in May after authorities began probing bulk sales of her "Healthy Holly" paperbacks, which netted her hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Pugh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and tax evasion in November. She pleaded guilty to four of the 11 counts against her as a deal with federal prosecutors.
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland charged Pugh with 11 counts of wire fraud and tax charges related to the selling of her children's book.
"Our elected officials must place the interests of the citizens above their own," U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said. "Corrupt public employees rip off the taxpayers and undermine everyone's faith in government. The U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners will zealously pursue those who abuse the taxpayers' trust and bring them to justice."
Two of Pugh's associates await sentencing.
