BECKLEY, W.Va. -- A Greenbrier County man who swindled multiple farmers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a phantom cattle scheme was sentenced to more than eight years in prison in federal court today.

Kevin Scott O'Brien must also pay $3.43 million in restitution to the farmers and banks involved in the scheme.

Two former officials of the First National Bank of Ronceverte who were involved in a bribe from O'Brien also received short prison terms.

U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston sentenced Charles Henthorn, the bank's former president, to nine months in prison and G. Thomas Garten, a former bank board member, to five months in prison. Johnston also fined Garten $50,000 and Henthorn $75,000.

O'Brien pleaded guilty to mail fraud in February, admitting that he sold the same group of cattle to multiple buyers.

Read more in Saturday's Gazette-Mail.

BECKLEY, W.Va. -- A Greenbrier County man who swindled multiple farmers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a phantom cattle scheme was sentenced to more than eight years in prison in federal court today.

Kevin Scott O'Brien must also pay $3.43 million in restitution to the farmers and banks involved in the scheme.

Two former officials of the First National Bank of Ronceverte who were involved in a bribe from O'Brien also received short prison terms.

U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston sentenced Charles Henthorn, the bank's former president, to nine months in prison and G. Thomas Garten, a former bank board member, to five months in prison. Johnston also fined Garten $50,000 and Henthorn $75,000.

O'Brien pleaded guilty to mail fraud in February, admitting that he sold the same group of cattle to multiple buyers.

Read more in Saturday's Gazette-Mail.