Detroit (AP) -- A former senior U.S. immigration official who took bribes in exchange for releasing illegal immigrants from detention and other favors was sentenced Monday to more than three years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook Jr. sentenced Roy Bailey to 37 months in prison.

The government requested a lesser sentence of two years in prison, citing Bailey's cooperation with the investigation of an as-yet-unnamed senior government official. Defense attorney Michael Starr sought a sentence of 14 months.

But Cook imposed the maximum under the federal sentencing guidelines, saying the integrity of law enforcement and the U.S. immigration system had been undermined by Bailey's corruption.

"Mr. Bailey held extremely high-ranking decision-making positions in his agency,'' Cook said from the bench in federal court in Detroit. "Rather than uphold the high ethical standard we expect of him, he repeatedly used and used his positions.''

Bailey, 55, also must pay a $30,000 fine and will be on supervised release for two years after completing his prison time. He must report to prison by June 15.

The heavier-than-expected sentence reflects the seriousness of Bailey's crimes, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Judge, who prosecuted the case for the government.

"This is a severe enough sentence, it should or it will cause deterrence among others in the federal immigration system,'' Judge said.

Bailey and Starr declined to comment after the hearing.

Between 1999 and 2004, when he was placed on leave and later retired, Bailey was the senior official in Detroit supervising the detention and transportation of illegal immigrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its predecessor agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Bailey admitted accepting gifts from restaurant owners, attorneys and others during that time, including $5,000 in free meals, $5,000 in casino chips and $500 worth of jewelry, alcohol and clothing.

In return, he granted favors including delaying deportation proceedings, releasing prisoners and helping illegal immigrants remain in the United States.

Prosecutors say one man he helped release later was convicted of murder.

Bailey pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy charges and failure to report a felony - another official's theft of $308,000 from immigrants in custody.

Bailey apologized in court Monday to his family, friends and former colleagues and said he hopes his conduct won't hurt the work of other law enforcement officials.

"I take full responsibility for all my actions. All of them. I don't blame anyone but myself,'' he said.

Also sentenced Monday was Antonio Ivezaj, 38, of Milford. The native of Naples, Italy, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for doing free construction work on Bailey's Romulus home in exchange for Bailey releasing Ivezaj's cousin, who was in custody.

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