[JURIST] Former Deputy US Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles [Wikipedia profile] was sentenced to 10 months in prison Tuesday for his role in the Jack Abramoff [JURIST news archive] lobbying scandal. As part of the negotiated plea deal, the Department of Justice recommended he serve five months in prison and the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. US District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle, however, expressed continued disappointment with Griles' cooperation before doubling the agreed-upon prison term to 10 months.

Griles pleaded guilty [JURIST report] in March to felony obstruction of justice charges for lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee [official website] in 2005 about his relationship with the former lobbyist. Abramoff is serving a six-year prison sentence [JURIST report] on conspiracy and fraud charges stemming from falsification of documents to procure a 2000 loan for Abramoff and his partners to purchase a casino. AP has more.