WASHINGTON – Former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, has been released from a minimum-security prison in West Virginia, where he was serving a sentence on congressional corruption charges, FOX News has learned.
Ney has been moved from the Morgantown, W.Va., prison to a halfway house at an undisclosed location.
Ney pleaded guilty in 2006 to making false statements and conspiracy charges in connection to his ties to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who also is in federal prison on unrelated fraud charges. Abramoff pleaded guilty in the federal congressional corruption case also, but has not been sentenced.
Ney admitted he took gifts and accepted favors from Abramoff and was sentenced to 30 months in prison, more time than the federal government asked for.
Ney began serving his time in Morgantown a little less than a year ago. His counsel asked he serve his time there because it was close to his family in Ohio and was also known for its alcohol rehabilitation program. Ney sought treatment for alcoholism around the time he resigned from Congress in the fall of 2006.
Ney was first elected in the Republican wave of 1994 and rose to become chairman of the House Administration Committee. Ney's District is now represented by Democratic Rep. Zack Space.
FOX News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
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