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Former Lawrence mayor sentenced for theft from food bank

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Former Lawrence mayor Jeremy Farmer has been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for embezzling money from a food bank.

Farmer also was ordered to pay restitution of more than $81,000 for taking the money from the nonprofit Just Food when he was the organization's executive director. Farmer also will be on two years of supervised release after completing his prison term.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports the 33-year-old Farmer apologized during his sentencing hearing Tuesday.

Farmer pleaded guilty in September 2016 to interstate transportation of embezzled funds and securities.

Farmer was hired as executive director of Just Food in 2011. He was elected to the Lawrence City Commission in April 2013 and the commissioners voted him mayor in April 2015. He resigned both positions in August 2015.