Former Allegheny Co. Councilman will spend up to 5 years in jail

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PITTSBURGH — Former Allegheny County Councilman Chuck McCullough was sentenced Thursday to 30 to 60 months in prison.

Earlier this year, McCullough was found guilty of theft and misapplication of entrusted funds.

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He was accused of taking more than $50,000 from the estate of an elderly woman he represented as a lawyer.

Prosecutors say he gave it to political campaigns and his wife’s charity.

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On Thursday, McCullough apologized to the court, and to the victim’s family.

His attorney, David Pollock, said he thought the sentence should have been house arrest or up to 9 months in jail.

“I thought the sentence seemed heavy-handed for an individual that's had 60 years of exemplary record and little indication that anything like this would ever happen again,” Pollock said.

The judge did agree to give McCullough 30 days before he has to report to prison.

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