The facade of the federal courthouse in Philadelphia. Read more TYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer

by Chris Palmer Published Nov. 19, 2025, 11:38 a.m. ET

A former West Philadelphia ward leader and onetime staffer for State Sen. Vincent Hughes was sentenced Wednesday to one year in federal prison for stealing more than $140,000 from his ward and a church where he served as a deacon.

Willie Jordan, 68, had pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud over the summer. During his sentencing hearing Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III, Jordan said that he was sorry and that there were no excuses for his misconduct.

“It was a bad decision,” Jordan said. “It was just wrong.”

Bartle agreed, telling Jordan that although he appeared to have lived an otherwise no

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