Dewhurst Adviser Gets 7 Years for Embezzling Millions

A onetime adviser to former Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst was sentenced Friday to 87 months in federal prison for embezzling millions of dollars from Dewhurst’s campaign for the U.S. Senate. 

Kenneth “Buddy” Barfield pleaded guilty in October to charges of wire fraud, falsifying tax returns and tapping funds contributed to a federal candidate. Barfield admitted to taking $1.8 million from the David Dewhurst Committee and the Dewhurst for Texas campaign funds from 2008 to 2012.

Barfield told a U.S. district court judge he deeply regretted his actions and apologized, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The longtime political adviser faced a maximum of 28 years in prison and more than $600,000 in fines, but prosecutors recommended a lesser sentence in return for Barfield’s guilty plea.

Before joining Dewhurst, Barfield worked in the 1990s for the Koch brothers and former Texas gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams.