Former City of Miami assistant fire chief Veldora Arthur has been sentenced to 57 months, or just under five years, in prison after being convicted for her part in a $10 million mortgage fraud scheme. After release, she'll serve three years of probation.

Arthur faced as many as 20 years in the clink, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Armando Rosquete had hoped she'd be sentenced to more time.

Arthur, Miami's first African-American female firefighter, was indicted in February for acting as a straw buyer to purchase six units in an Aventura condo building and falsifying paperwork in a scheme to collect about $11 million fraudulent loans.

While awaiting trial, Arthur remained on the city payroll and collected $120,000 over seven months.

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• Crime