Former New Orleans Mayor Found Guilty on Corruption Charges

C. Ray Nagin is facing up to 20 years behind bars

NEW ORLEANS — Former Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans was found guilty on Wednesday of accepting payoffs for city contracts, becoming the first mayor in the city's history to be charged and convicted of corruption.

The jury deliberated for about six and a half hours in total before finding Mr. Nagin, 57, the Democratic mayor for two terms and the face of the city's leadership during the Hurricane Katrina disaster, guilty in 20 of the 21 counts against him.