SALEM, Ore. - Former State Rep. Dan Doyle, once one of the most influential members of the Oregon Legislature, was sentenced to 10 months in jail Thursday for filing false election campaign finance reports.

The Salem Republican pleaded guilty last month to 11 felony counts of filing false campaign finance reports in the 2002 and 2004 elections.

The state prosecutor said Doyle falsified reports in order to conceal at least $145,000 in payments that he listed as going to campaign vendors but actually went to himself and his law firm.

The sentence was handed down by Robert Cannon, temporary judge on the Marion County Circuit Court, who told Doyle: "You had a unique and privileged position."

"I couldn't be more disappointed in this case," he told Doyle.

Doyle's wife, Victoria, pleaded guilty last month to one count of filing a false campaign report, following her unsuccessful run last year for Marion County clerk. She served 10 days in jail and was put on probation for three years.

Addressing the court on Thursday, Doyle said: "What it boils down to is I lied to the public, and I'm taking responsibility for that any way that I can."

"I'm sorry for what I've done to my family, and for what I've done to fellow public officials," he said.

Each of the felony counts carried a possible five-year maximum prison term. The Attorney General's office had recommended Doyle serve at least 15 months, while Doyle had asked that he be given only probation.

Cannon sentenced Doyle to probation on four of the counts, and 10 months on the seven other counts, to run concurrently.

Doyle resigned from the Statehouse in January after an investigation had begun into accusations of false campaign reports. At the time, he was co-chairman of the Legislature's joint Ways and Means Committee, a powerful position.

In addition to the jail sentence, Doyle faces a possible fine of as much as $127,000 by the Secretary of State's office for misusing campaign money and filing false campaign reports.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)