WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Harber, 34, of Alexandria, Virginia, worked as an aide to former Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale. He managed the unsuccessful 2012 congressional campaign of Virginia Republican Chris Perkins.
Harber pleaded guilty to the charge before US District Judge Liam O’Grady in February.
The political aide also admitted to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), according to the release.
“A former campaign finance manager and political consultant was sentenced today in the Eastern District of Virginia to 24 months for coordinating $325,000 in federal election campaign contributions by a political action committee (PAC) to a congressional campaign committee.”
Harber’s prosecution is the first of its kind in the United States, the release said.
Authorities said his sentence is intended to prevent other political campaigners from breaking federal election laws.
“The significant prison sentence imposed on Tyler Harber should cause other political operatives to think twice about circumventing laws that promote transparency in federal elections,” Justice Department Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said.
“As the first conviction for illegal campaign coordination, this case stands as an important step forward in the criminal enforcement of federal campaign finance laws.”
