Former Columbia city councilman free from prison

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP/WOLO) — A former Columbia city councilman is back home after serving nine months in federal prison for tax evasion. ABC Columbia News has confirmed with E.W. Cromartie’s attorney I.S. Leevy Johnson that the former councilman was released from prison to home detention last Friday. Columbia’s longest serving city councilman was sentenced to a year and a day in prison after pleading guilty last year to one count of tax evasion and two counts of structuring bank deposits to avoid federal income reporting requirements. Federal sentencing guidelines allowed him to be released after serving most of his sentence, which began Jan. 28. Cromartie’s lawyer, I.S. Leevy Johnson, says the former city councilman taught English to his fellow prisoners while incarcerated. Johnson says Cromartie is relieved and happy to be home. (Copyright 2011 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)