Former GOP House Staffer Gets Year in Prison for Mail Fraud

The former chief of staff to the Connecticut House Republicans has been sentenced to a year in prison for taking more than $100,000 in payments from a political campaign direct mail company to which he steered business.

George Gallo of East Hampton pleaded guilty in April to one count of mail fraud.

He was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Hartford to 12 months and one day in prison.

Part of Gallo's job was to set up coordinated campaign support for Republican state House candidates through a state-registered political action committee, the House Republican Campaign Committee. Gallo selected the vendors, including the Florida-based direct mail company.

Prosecutors said he lied to his boss, the House minority leader, and others about having a financial relationship with the direct mail company.