Former U.S. official gets probation

A federal judge apologized numerous times Monday before sentencing a retired government employee to one year of probation for violating conflict of interest laws.

Milton Dial of Las Vegas was arrested in September and charged with performing consulting work for the U.S. Department of the Interior before his "cooling off" period expired.

Dial is former deputy associate director of the Department of Interior's Minerals Revenue Management and Minerals Management Service.

Most government workers are prohibited from lobbying their former agency for a certain amount of time after their departure.

Dial's attorneys acknowledged that he did not realize he was violating the law.

"I'm ashamed and embarrassed," said Dial, who asked that he be able to return home to care for his 91-year-old mother and his ailing wife. "The is certainly the darkest day of my life."

U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones appeared to struggle to comprehend why Dial stood before him. Jones acknowledged the federal conflict of interest law but questioned why Dial was "singled out."

"You have violated the anti-lobbying law; high executives in our government violate that law all the time," Jones said. "I apologize you were singled out."

Jones placed Dial on probation and ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine.