A federal jury concluded U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) is guilty of "concealing information and making false statements" to authorities who were investing illegal contributions into his 2016 re-election campaign. 

According to a March 24 U.S. Department of Justice news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, 61-year-old Fortenberry, of Lincoln, Neb., faces up to 15 years in prison for two counts of making false statements to federal investigators and one count of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts. 

“After learning of illegal contributions to his campaign, the congressman repeatedly chose to conceal the violations of federal law to protect his job, his reputation and his close associates,” U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said in the release. “The lies in this case threatened the integrity of the American electoral system and were designed to prevent investigators from learning the true source of campaign funds.”

The DOJ reported Fortenberry accepted $30,000 in campaign donations from Gilbert Chagoury, a foreign national barred by federal law from contributing to American elections. The donations were disguised through third-party conduits. Chagoury unlawfully contributed to three other U.S. campaigns, according to the release.

"Today's conviction highlights the FBI's commitment to holding elected officials accountable," Kristi Johnson, assistant director-in-charge of the Los Angeles FBI field office, said. "The verdict rephasizes the importance of being truthful to law enforcement and demonstrates the government's dedication to keeping the nation's interests free from foreign influence through illegal campaign contributions."

Fortenberry has served in the House of Representatives since 2005.