The former mayor of Niles, Ill. will serve one year and one day in prison after admitting to accepting $421,000 in kickbacks to drive business to a local insurance firm.

Nicholas Blase, 81, received the sentence in federal court Jan. 29 after a judge turned down a request from prosecutors for a prison term of up to 4 ½ years, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Blase’s defense has sought for the former Democratic politician to serve his time in home confinement, noting that Blase voluntarily made a $750,000 donation to public schools.

The former mayor admitted to taking $421,000 in kickbacks from businesses and using his office to pressure local businesses into buying high-priced insurance from Ralph Weiner & Associates of Wheeling, Ill. Blase had a stake in the company, according to the report.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois made the case that Blase pocketed kickbacks for more than three decades from business owners who were sometimes threatened by the public official, who also served as the liquor commissioner.

Blase, who is to report to prison March 1, could be released after 10 months of confinement for good behavior.