A contractor was convicted Wednesday, April 30, of providing $30,000 worth of construction work at former Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.’s farmhouse in exchange for help in securing lucrative projects.

A federal jury found Bernard "Pete" Bucheit, 70, guilty of conspiracy, bribery and lying to a grand jury that was investigating Traficant.

Bucheit faces a maximum 12 years in prison, although under sentencing guidelines his sentence will likely be much less. The accusations were part of a racketeering charge that Traficant was convicted of last April.

Traficant, a Democrat who served nine terms, was expelled from the House and is serving an eight-year jail term.

The jury deliberated one day before convicting Bucheit of illegally providing $30,000 worth of construction work to build an addition and deck at Traficant’s farmhouse in 1993.

In exchange, Traficant allegedly helped Bucheit collect $11.6 million for construction of a shopping mall in Saudi Arabia and later helped Bucheit recoup money from a manufacturing company in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) in the Middle East.

Bucheit sat down with his wife after the verdict and held her hand.

"We’re shocked that they were able to conclude he was guilty, given the lack of evidence," said his lawyer, Roger Synenberg. He had suggested anyone associated with Traficant is "painted with such a broad brush" that it is difficult to overcome.

Bucheit was president of Bucheit International. He now lives part of the year in Youngstown and the rest in West Palm Beach, Fla., and will remain free until sentencing.