ALCORN COUNTY, Miss. — In an orange jumpsuit, former Alcorn County Supervisor Jimmy Nelms said he was sorry for stealing money from taxpayers.

“I’ve shamed myself and I’ve shamed my family, and I’m sorry for that. I apologize,” he said.

“The law-abiding citizens and public officials of this county are greatly ashamed and embarrassed this has taken place in your county,” the judge said.

Nelms will spend at least 12 years in prison after he admitted to stealing county money.

“He wanted to resolve this in a manner that he could try to make whole those who were injured, those who were hurt and embarrassed by this,” Nelms’ attorney Ronald Michael said.

State auditors found the former supervisor bought items for his own home on county credit cards and worked with others to buy vehicles for a low price.

He would then turn around and sell them to the county for a higher price.

His client, Jimmy Ray Mitchell, also pleaded guilty on Tuesday to fraudulently obtaining public funds.

“Mr. Mitchell accepted responsibility for his conduct in cooperating with the authorities from the beginning of this matter,” Mitchell’s attorney Tony Farese said.

Farese placed blame on Nelms.

“(Mitchell) found himself in a terrible situation as a result of making some poor decisions with a lifelong friend Dal Nelms,” he said.

Another vendor, Danny Roy Peters, also pleaded guilty. He will serve one year of house arrest and was fined $5,000.

Purchasing clerk Paul Rhodes, the first person to be arrested in this investigation, was another to plead guilty Tuesday; he will spend five years in jail. He is waiting to be sentenced on federal charges as well and will wait to serve his state sentence until then.

One person is still awaiting sentencing.

The state said this was just the tip of the iceberg from an investigation that revealed major corruption all over the county.