As recently reported, Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson was convicted of corruption after federal authorities found $90 thousand dollars in cash, stashed in the freezer at his home. Well after having his day in court, Jefferson was sentenced on Friday to 13 years in prison for charges which included taking bribes.

The sentence marks the longest term ever given to a congressman for bribery and prosecutors called his corruption the most extensive in the history of Congress.

Currently appealing the decision, Jefferson served as a Democratic representative for New Orleans for nearly 20 years. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis II also commented that public corruption was “a cancer on the body politic. There must be some sort of greed virus that attacks those in power.”

According to The Associated Press, Jefferson was allowed to remain free until a hearing next week. Prosecutors want him to begin serving his sentence immediately, while the defense wants Jefferson to remain free while he appeals his conviction.

Jefferson was also ordered to forfeit roughly $470,000 in bribery proceeds — the government expects to seize Jefferson's retirement savings and other assets to enforce the judgment. Jefferson, meanwhile, has filed for bankruptcy protection and his wife is claiming rights to some of those assets.

Jefferson was convicted in August of 11 counts, including bribery and racketeering, and acquitted on five others, including the one most closely associated with the money in his freezer.

All I can say is know when to say when…