Associated Press

MIAMI -- The city's former city manager, ousted after 11 years in office because of corruption charges, was sentenced to a year in federal prison yesterday after telling a judge he accepted blame for his actions.

In a deal with prosecutors, Cesar Odio pleaded guilty to reduced charges of obstructing justice while more serious charges that he took kickbacks were dropped
Odio, 60, was accused of telling city financial director Manohar Surana last fall to lie to federal agents investigating allegations of kickbacks in a city insurance contract.

Surana was an FBI informant, and the conversation was recorded.

One government tape showed Odio taking $3,000 and complaining that it should have been $5,000.

"I stand here before you and the whole city of Miami, accepting full responsibility for my actions," Odio told US District Judge K. Michael Moore. "I made a terrible mistake."

Cuban-born Odio first came to prominence as an assistant city manager during the 1980 Mariel boatlift by coordinating the arrival of 125,000 Cubans. Then, as city manager, he ran the city during race riots, Super Bowls, and Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Operation Greenpalm, the corruption probe that snared Odio, also brought down City Commissioner Miller Dawkins, who pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy and has begun serving a 27-month prison term, and City Hall lobbyist Jorge de Cardenas, who pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and awaits sentencing.

The case also led to the discovery of a $68 million city budget deficit from years of financial mismanagement. In May a state oversight board approved a five-year recovery plan that allowed the city to avoid a state takeover or bankruptcy.

The judge was fair, Odio said outside the courthouse. "There's been a lot of demands for my neck. I've been punished more than enough so this sentence is insignificant to me."

Moore had warned Odio that his guilty plea could bring him up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

His lawyers had asked for a sentence of five months in prison, five years' house arrest, and 200 hours of community service.

Prosecutors wanted a longer term but were not asked to speak at the hearing.

Assistant US Attorney Larry LaVecchio said Odio's speech to the judge blunted the seriousness of his crime. "This wasn't just some technical violation," the prosecutor said.