A federal judge in Mobile on Friday lopped a year off ex-Orange Beach Mayor Steve Russo’s prison sentence, deciding that a 10 percent reduction was justified, since an appeals court overturned four of the 22 fraud counts that a jury convicted him on two years ago.

The advisory sentencing guidelines did not change as a result of the July decision by the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to toss out Russo’s conviction on the counts, related to his use of campaign contributions for personal expenses.

U.S. District Judge Kristi DuBose said those counts played a minor role in her original decision to sentence Russo to 10 years. But, she said, the former mayor deserved a break, so she reduced his sentence to nine years.

Year removed off Russo’s sentence