A federal jury convicted former state representative and Pikeville, Kentucky, coal operator, Wendell Keith Hall, of bribing a federal mine official, officials announced Friday.
The jury deliberated for one hour and 30 minutes following five days of trial, officials said.
“Mr. Hall’s brazen scheme to corrupt an 
important governmental function for his personal benefit is made all the more egregious by his former status as a member of the Kentucky General Assembly,” said U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “The United States will seek a sentence which properly reflects the serious nature of Mr. Hall’s criminal conduct.”
Hall represented House District 93 in the Kentucky General Assembly and paid mine reclamation officer Kelly Shortridge for favorable treatment in connection with his official duties.
Shortridge worked as an environmental inspector for the Office of Surface Mine Reclamation and Enforcement, where he was responsible for enforcing federal mine reclamation laws and regulations.
From 2006 through 2011, Shortridge inspected mines owned by Hall. Shortridge ignored violations that occurred on Hall’s property in exchange for a series of payments totaling over $46,000, according to authorities.
The evidence also established that the two men disguised the payments as consulting fees, officials said.
In 2010, officials said they set up a shell company, DKJ Consulting, in the name of Shortridge’s wife and opened a bank account with her as the sole authorized signatory on the account. Hall then used a company he owned, S&K Properties, to funnel money to Shortridge through DKJ to make the payments appear as legitimate business expenses.
Shortridge pleaded guilty in February of this year. Shortridge is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6.
Hall faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, according to authorities.