Disgraced former Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik has been sentenced to four years in prison.
A judge made the announcement Thursday in a White Plains court.
Kerik pleaded guilty in November to eight felonies, including lying to the White House while he was being vetted for Homeland Security secretary and filing false tax returns.
The 54-year-old has also be sentenced to three years of supervised
release, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $187,931 and to pay past-due taxes and penalties on six years of tax returns.
"I'd like to apologize to the American people for the mistakes I've made for which I've just accepted responsibility. As history is written, I can only hope that I will be judged for the 30 years of service I gave to this country and the city of New York," said the former police commissioner.
Under his plea deal, prosecutors had recommended that Kerik spend 27 to 33 months behind bars, but Judge Stephen Robinson said the guidelines did not account for Kerik's position of authority when he committed the crimes.
"[He was] the chief law enforcement law enforcement officer for the biggest and grandest city this nation has,'' said Robinson, "[And the crimes were committed] in the process of attempting to become a Cabinet-level position in the government of the United States."
“I think the damage caused by Mr. Kerik is, in some ways, immeasurable,” the judge said added.
Kerik had many supporters in court Thursday when the sentence was handed down. Among those at his side: news personality Geraldo Rivera and Officer Steven McDonald, who was shot in the line of duty in 1986.
His lawyer made a case for leniency based on Kerik's heroism and public service, to no avail.
"As history is written, I can only hope that I will be judged for the 30 years of service I've given to this country and to the City of New York,” Kerik said.
His service included once serving as former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's driver. Under Giuliani, he would ran the city's jail system before leading the police department. With Giuliani's strong support, President George W. Bush tapped Kerik to become Homeland Security secretary, a nomination that fell apart as Kerik's shady past emerged in news reports.
Kerik has been ordered to surrender before 2 p.m. May 17, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons will determine where Kerik will serve his sentence.
Federal prosecutors had wanted to send Kerik directly to jail, saying he was more likely to flee once he knew for sure he was going to prison, but the judge determined that the Kerik was not a flight risk.
It is unknown yet whether Kerik will appeal his sentence.