Topeka ? The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the appeal from former Kansas utility head David Wittig of his prison sentence following a 2003 bank fraud conviction.

Without comment, the court refused Monday to consider the former Westar Energy Inc. CEO’s appeal of the 24-month prison term imposed in 2007 by U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson.

Wittig was serving the sentence as he appealed it.

His attorneys argued arguing that the sentence is at odds with federal sentencing guidelines. But Robinson argued the sentence was warranted by the seriousness of the crime involved and because another defendant received a five-year sentence.

Wittig was convicted in July 2003 of loaning $1.5 million to former Topeka bank President Clinton Odell Weidner II, then helping him hide the transaction from bank and federal officials.