By AP/KWMU
East St. Louis, Ill. – A former Democratic political boss and city councilman in East St. Louis must spend an extra 15 months in prison, after a federal judge's decision on Monday.
Charles Powell, Jr. is already in prison for 21 months for a vote-fraud scheme he took part in.
He pleaded guilty in June to a conspiracy charge and a charge of failing to notify authorities before removing asbestos. Powell admitted he had been hired to renovate the Spivey Building in East St. Louis and that he had hired another man.
According to court documents, both men knew the building contained asbestos but improperly removed and disposed of asbestos-covered pipes and other asbestos-containing material in 2002.
Powell once headed East St. Louis' Democratic Party.