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South Arkansas Youth Services former head pleads guilty to corruption probe

Jerry Walsh pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court to conspiring to divert more than $380,000.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The former head of a defunct Arkansas nonprofit that helped at-risk youth has pleaded guilty to diverting more than $120,000 from the group to an unnamed state senator in a widening corruption probe that has already ensnared several former lawmakers.

Jerry Walsh pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court to conspiring to divert more than $380,000 from South Arkansas Youth Services without the authority of the organization's board of directors.

Federal prosecutors say the scheme involved diverting the money to a state senator and the lobbying firm of Rusty Cranford, who pleaded guilty last month to bribing two former lawmakers and a state senator.

Prosecutors say Walsh made the payments in exchange for the senator agreeing to influence Arkansas officials regarding the awarding of state contracts.

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