Judge rejects Metts’ plea deal in bribery case

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a plea deal from former Lexington County Sheriff James Metts that would have kept the longtime lawman from going to prison.

U.S. District Judge Terry Wooten said Wednesday there was too much of a disparity between federal guidelines of a possible sentence of 10 months to 16 months in prison and the three years of probation to which both defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed.

Metts had prepared to plead guilty to stepping in to keep two men in the country illegally from ending up in a federal database. Wooten told attorneys to prepare for trial, which is scheduled to begin next month.

Metts’ attorney says the government’s case is weak, and the sheriff opted for the deal to try to put the charge behind him.