MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Former Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler has begun his one-year sentence in a federal prison in West Virginia, according to online records.
Records for the Federal Bureau of Prisons show Tyler is at the FCI Morgantown, a minimum-security facility in West Virginia.
Tyler was sentenced in November after he struck a deal with federal prosecutors and agreed to plead guilty to one count of theft.
During his sentencing, Tyler said it was his “greatest honor” serving more than 50 years for Muncie as a firefighter, lawmaker and mayor.
“I’m completely helpless," he said. “I could have said no. I was so wrong that day for the decision I made. I've asked myself why.”
He said he’s left a stain on his career and the city of Muncie.
"I’m so sorry for the pain and hurt I’ve caused by my actions,” Tyler said.
When asked by the judge why he's sorry to the citizens, Tyler said “they always looked at me as someone special. I abused that trust and I’m so sorry.”
Tyler was also ordered to pay $15,250 in restitution to the city of Muncie.
He was one of several to be indicted in Operation Public Trust, the federal authorities' investigation into corruption within the City of Muncie, which began in 2014.
WRTV Senior Digital Content Producer Andrew Smith contributed to this report.
