U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle sentenced Black for accepting $29,000 from chiropractors while pushing legislation that favored them. He also fined Black $50,000 and ordered him to serve three years on probation.

Black stood and looked straight ahead as Boyle pronounced the sentence. He later left the courthouse and climbed into a black Acura MDX without saying a word. It was not immediately clear when Black must report to prison.

"He earned every day of it," U.S. Attorney George Holding said of the sentence. "Jim Black took corruption to a new level in North Carolina."

Good behavior could shorten Black's sentence by 15 percent, or nine and a half months.

He has until July 30 to notify officials of where he prefers to be assigned to prison, though he won't necessarily get his choice.

He is likely to want to serve his time in a federal prison camp that has dormitories, no fences and relatively few guards. The closest one to Black's home is at Maxwell Air Force Base near Montgomery, Ala. Many of the inmates there work on the base.

His attorneys had argued that Black was "not a corrupt man" but had just made a mistake. They said prosecutors had years to prove their case and could find no other wrongdoing.

At the start of today's hearing, Black apologized to his family, fellow legislators and the people of North Carolina.

"I would like to take this opportunity to accept full responsibility for the mistakes I have made," he told Boyle. Black also referred to them as "stupid mistakes."

Black, 72, a Mecklenburg County Democrat and optometrist, pleaded guilty to the felony of illegally accepting things of value. He faced as much as 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The most powerful elected official in North Carolina history to be convicted of public corruption, Black served a record-tying four terms as speaker.

The sentencing came after more than two years of investigation into Black's political and legislative dealings.

Federal authorities began looking at Black as they investigated large sums from video poker interests to political campaigns. Black's campaign was a big beneficiary, and for several years he prevented a ban on the machines from passing the legislature.

Black's troubles deepened when records showed that he had created a $48,000 state job for former Rep. Michael Decker, a Forsyth County Republican. Just before the start of the 2003 session, Decker switched parties and supported Black for speaker, a move that allowed him to remain in power.

State and federal authorities began looking into Black's political help to Decker, discovering dozens of checks from optometrists that had the payee lines left blank. Decker pocketed roughly $4,000 of those checks.

Soon after, Decker cut a deal with federal authorities to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge for accepting a $50,000 bribe from Black in exchange for backing him for speaker.

Decker has been sentenced to four years in prison. He was present in court today for Black's sentencing.

Black's attorneys had asked Boyle to spare Black prison and allow him to run a free optometry clinic for indigent patients.

But federal prosecutors said Black did not abide by the terms of his plea agreement, which required him to assist authorities in their investigation. They said that Black's sentence should reflect his role in the bribery of Decker.

Black still faces sentencing in state court on bribery and obstruction of justice charges in the Decker case. Black has entered an Alford plea to those charges, which means he did not admit guilt, but pleaded guilty because it was the best option available to him.

Staff writer Joe Neff contributed to this report.