Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal Prison

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick has been sentenced to 28 years in federal prison, following a decade long tenure of corruption.

According to the NY Times, the now 43-year-old Kilpatrick was elected mayor of the city of Detroit at the age of 31, and dubbed 'The Hip Hop-Hop Mayor,' because of his flashy attire. The young mayor brought much to the cities riverfront, downtown development and more. His tenure as mayor was supposed to be a symbol of youth and hope, but turned into one filled with corruption and scandal.

Kilpatrick was convicted of two dozen counts in March that included charges of racketeering and extortion, adding his name to a list of at least 18 city officials who have been convicted of corruption during his tenure as mayor.

He was sentenced today (October 10th) in federal court to serve the time prosecutors asked for, 28 years.