CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A former Lincoln County assessor who pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to buy votes will not receive his public employees' pension after the state Supreme Court denied his appeal today.

Jerry Allen Weaver appealed the state Consolidated Public Retirement Board's decision to revoke his pension for rendering "less than honorable service." Kanawha Circuit Judge Jim Stucky upheld that decision last year.

Weaver pleaded guilty in federal court 2005, and was sentenced to a year in prison. He was released in June 2007, and was hired to work as a mapper and property assessor in his former office earlier this year.

In the written opinion, Justice Robin Davis noted that Weaver was a candidate for public office in four of the eight elections that he admitted tampering with as part of the federal probe.

"To the extent the activities of the alleged vote-buying conspiracy tainted those elections, in any way, shape, or form, Mr. Weaver's participation therein unquestionably was related to his re-election as Lincoln County Assessor, and, thus, his felonious conviction was related to his office," the opinion states.

Weaver, who served as assessor for 25 years and retired in January 2006 with 27 1/2 years of public service, argued that his conviction was not related to his duties as assessor, and that he faithfully carried out the obligations of his office and deserved his pension.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A former Lincoln County assessor who pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to buy votes will not receive his public employees' pension after the state Supreme Court denied his appeal today.

Jerry Allen Weaver appealed the state Consolidated Public Retirement Board's decision to revoke his pension for rendering "less than honorable service." Kanawha Circuit Judge Jim Stucky upheld that decision last year.

Weaver pleaded guilty in federal court 2005, and was sentenced to a year in prison. He was released in June 2007, and was hired to work as a mapper and property assessor in his former office earlier this year.

In the written opinion, Justice Robin Davis noted that Weaver was a candidate for public office in four of the eight elections that he admitted tampering with as part of the federal probe.

"To the extent the activities of the alleged vote-buying conspiracy tainted those elections, in any way, shape, or form, Mr. Weaver's participation therein unquestionably was related to his re-election as Lincoln County Assessor, and, thus, his felonious conviction was related to his office," the opinion states.

Weaver, who served as assessor for 25 years and retired in January 2006 with 27 1/2 years of public service, argued that his conviction was not related to his duties as assessor, and that he faithfully carried out the obligations of his office and deserved his pension.