ALBANY — A trucking company owner was sentenced to 22 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $18 million in restitution after he was convicted of bribery in federal court.

Christopher Whitman was sentenced in an Albany federal courtroom late Thursday afternoon after his conviction on 57 counts of bribery and defrauding the government.

Prosecutors said Whitman and two others participated in bribes to over-bill the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany by tens of millions of dollars for trucking contracts between 2008 and 2012.

Prosecutors say Whitman, who owned United Industrial of Georgia trucking company, lived the high life and bought dozens of homes and properties.

Base transportation official Shawn McCarty, a co-defendant in the trial, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $15,410,455 in restitution, with three years probation after release.

Base contractor Bradford Newell, a third defendant in the trial, was sentenced to five years in prison with three years probation after release, and ordered to pay $513,600 in restitution.

Newell was found guilty on all 16 counts against him. McCarty was convicted on 17 of 29 counts.

WALB