Former L.A. County Undersheriff Sentenced to 5 Years for Obstruction of Justice

Former Los Angeles County Undersheriff Paul Tanaka was sentenced to five years in federal prison Monday after being found guilty in his corruption trial, reports KABC and City News Service .

Tanaka was found guilty in April by a federal jury for obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The current mayor of Gardena faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

Prosecutors sought a five-year sentence for Tanaka. The judge also ordered him to serve two years of supervised release after he gets out of prison and pay a $7,500 fine.

The 57-year-old was accused of leading a conspiracy to hide jail inmate Anthony Brown after the sheriff's department learned Brown was an FBI informant, feeding information to the feds about suspected corruption and excessive force against inmates inside the Men's Central Jail.