John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, the former business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 in Philadelphia, was sentenced Thursday to six years in prison for bribing a city councilman and embezzling over $500,000 from the union.

John Dougherty Gets 6 Years For Bribery : Sentencing and Apologies

Standing next to his attorney, Gregory Pagano, Dougherty remained silent as U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl delivered the sentence, calling it a "very, very sad day."

"But this is the day that punishment must be meted out," Judge Schmehl declared.

"It's clear, Mr. Dougherty, that you did an incredible job of building Local 98 into a powerful union that did good things for the community and charitable organizations," Judge Schmehl continued. "But somewhere along that trip, you lost your way. You created a culture that allowed Local 98 to be used as a personal piggy bank."

Dougherty, emotional at times, addressed the court before sentencing, apologizing for his conduct. He assured Judge Schmehl that he took "full responsibility" for his actions and admitted he "got sloppy" with union funds.

"I got out of control," Dougherty said. "John Dougherty and the business manager became the same person, even to the point where I violated the law."

Government Assertions and Dougherty's Defense

Addressing the government's claims that he threatened union members to prevent them from cooperating with federal agents, Dougherty explained, "This stuff that I would threaten anybody … that was just me being me. None of them guys took it seriously. I was trying to alert them to be on the ball. I should have been on the ball myself."

Earlier in the day, Dougherty's supporters pleaded with the judge for leniency, highlighting his role as the primary caregiver for his quadriplegic wife, who suffers from a traumatic brain injury.

John Dougherty Gets 6 Years For Bribery : Packed Courtroom and Supporters

The small federal courtroom in Reading was filled with Dougherty's supporters, including his brother, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty, ex-Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, and former Philadelphia traffic court judge Michael Sullivan.

John Dougherty Gets 6 Years For Bribery : Years-Long Prosecution

Dougherty's sentencing marked the conclusion of a years-long prosecution that began in 2019 and faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in Dougherty's defense team. The indictment was so extensive that the case was divided into two trials, one for the bribery charges and the other for embezzlement.

Bribery and Embezzlement Charges

Prosecutors alleged that Dougherty bribed former City Councilman Bobby Henon by paying him a union salary in exchange for his influence. Dougherty reportedly used Henon to pressure Comcast Corp. into giving union electricians fiber-optic work by stalling franchise agreement renewal negotiations with the city.

Additionally, prosecutors claimed Dougherty misused Local 98’s funds, spending on home repairs, suits, dinners, gambling trips, and other personal expenses.

John Dougherty Gets 6 Years For Bribery : Extortion Allegations

In 2021, Dougherty faced another indictment, accused alongside his electrician nephew Gregory Fiocca of conspiring to extort a contractor at the Live Casino construction site in South Philadelphia. The case alleged Fiocca physically attacked his manager over unpaid work despite frequent absences, and that Dougherty threatened to withdraw union workers if the manager didn't pay Fiocca.

Convictions and Representation

The government secured convictions against Dougherty in the bribery and embezzlement cases, while the extortion trial ended in a hung jury. Dougherty is represented by Gregory J. Pagano and Henry M. George of the Law Offices of Gregory J. Pagano PC. The government is represented by Jacqueline C. Romero, Bea Witzleben, Frank Costello, Anthony Carissimi, and Jason D. Grenell of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.