Jesse Jackson Jr sentenced to 30 months in prison

Former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was sentenced to two and a half years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to misusing $750,000 in campaign funds, spending it on luxuries such as TVs, restaurant dinners, an expensive watch and other costly personal items.

Jackson, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for seven years and once seen as a possible candidate for president, gave an emotional apology to U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson during the sentencing hearing.

"I misled the American people," said Jackson, who became choked up and used tissues to blow his nose.

He added, "I take responsibility for my actions and I am very sorry for what I have done."

His wife, Sandi, a former Chicago city council member, was sentenced to one year for falsifying tax returns that failed to report the campaign money as income. She spent $5,150 in campaign funds on fur capes and parkas, court documents show.

The couple has two children.

The judge ordered Jackson to report to prison on or after Nov. 1 and for Sandi Jackson to report to prison 30 days after he is released to reduce the impact on the children.

Jackson had been a Representative from Illinois from 1995 until he resigned last November, citing health reasons.

He disappeared from public view in the summer of 2012 and speculation swirled for weeks about his condition. At first Jackson said he was being treated for exhaustion, and his doctor said in July 2012 the Congressman was being treated for a "mood disorder."

Jackson was eventually treated for bipolar disorder at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Jackson was an early ally of President Barack Obama and even co-chaired his 2008 presidential campaign. But his reputation was tarnished in 2009 by the revelation that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich had been trying to sell Obama's vacant senate seat to the highest bidder and had identified Jackson in a taped conversation as a potential candidate who was willing to "pay to play."

In letters to the court prior to Wednesday's sentencing, Jackson's family urged the judge to go easy on him, blaming much of his bad behavior on his recent diagnosis.

"I appeal to you for mercy," his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, wrote in one letter. "Jesse Jr. is an example as a teacher and counselor who will be better served under supervision and probation."

The elder Jackson sat in the front row during Wednesday's proceedings.

"This has been an extraordinarily difficult time for our family," he told a crush of reporters outside the federal courthouse after the sentencing. "Jesse's been very sick. This time a year ago, I really thought we may have lost him. I think he's strong enough now to accept the challenges put before him by the judge."

According to court papers in the case, Jackson used campaign money to buy items including a $43,350 gold-plated men's Rolex watch.

The judge said that as a public official, Rep. Jackson was expected to "live up to a higher standard of ethics and integrity." After prison, he is to spend three years on supervised release and complete 500 hours of community service.

Jackson had pleaded guilty to the criminal charges back in February. He admitted that he and his wife used campaign credit cards to buy 3,100 personal items worth $582,772 from 2005 through April of last year -- including $60,857 for personal expenditures at restaurants, nightclubs and lounges; $16,058 for personal expenditures at sports clubs and lounges; $5,814 for alcohol and $14,513 for dry cleaning.

With Al Jazeera and wire services