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Convicted attorney will soon be out of custody
By SUSAN CARROLL
Aug. 18, 2009, 7:11PM

A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a former Houston immigration attorney accused of operating an elaborate visa fraud scheme to import Chinese immigrants to time served, clearing the way for his release from federal custody.

Kenneth L. Rothey, 70, pleaded guilty to two counts on Tuesday of conspiracy and money laundering.

He potentially faced a maximum sentence of 20 years if sentenced concurrently on the two charges, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Davis.

Davis recommended a much more lenient sentence for Rothey, who returned from China last June to face charges and spent the past 14 months in federal detention.

“Mr. Rothey has no prior record that I'm aware of,â€