Hutchinson ? Former Reno County Sheriff Larry Leslie was sentenced Wednesday to a year in jail for failing to disclose a conflict of interest in the operation of the Reno County Jail Annex.

Judge Michael Barbara described the offenses as “pure, deliberate greed and nothing else” in issuing the sentence.

Leslie and his co-defendant, Hutchinson attorney Gerald Hertach, each received two 6-month sentences to be served consecutively.

In court, Leslie apologized to the residents of Reno County, the men and women in the Sheriff’s Department and to his family and friends.

“They entrusted me with a wonderful job, and I wasn’t able to hold that trust,” Leslie said. “I have nobody to blame but myself.”

Prosecutors accused Leslie of taking almost $285,000 in bribes from Hertach in exchange for persuading county commissioners to contract with Hertach’s company to run the county jail annex.

In October, Leslie, Hertach and Hertach’s company, MgtGp Inc., each pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of participation in a prohibited contract.

In exchange, Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall dropped 21 counts of felony bribery. Leslie, Hertach and MgtGp Inc. were ordered to pay $750,000 in restitution to the county.

“The defendants did not show sufficient candor with the court in disclosing finances or coming forward with a restitution plan,” Barbara said before sentencing.

The judge repeatedly asked what happened to the $280,000 Hertach paid to Leslie during a 30-month period. Michael Gillespie, Leslie’s defense attorney, told the judge only that it was gone.

Gillespie also said he felt he had complied with the judge’s order on financial disclosure, and, if not, his client should not be held responsible for it.

Former Reno County Sheriff Larry Leslie apologizes during his sentencing hearing in Reno County District Court in Hutchinson. Leslie was sentenced Wednesday to a year in jail for conflict of interest in the operation of the Reno County Jail Annex.

The defendants were expected to come to court with a restitution plan. When Barbara asked how they planned to pay back the money, Hertach’s defense attorney, Steve Joseph, responded: “I have no idea.”

Joseph told the judge his client had been counting on the income from operating the jail annex to pay the restitution, and he didn’t have a restitution plan because the new Reno County sheriff took over operation of the annex.

Assistant Atty. Gen. John Bork said that would be like asking the Reno County Commissioners to pay themselves restitution.

Leslie was ordered to report to the Saline County Jail on Jan. 3. Hertach is to report to the Rice County Jail on Jan. 31, to give him extra time to wrap up his private law practice.