TRENTON – A federal court judge sentenced the former insurance broker for the Toms River Regional School District today to more than 11 years behind bars for his role in a bribery scheme.

Francis X. Gartland, 71, was sentenced after admitting in April his role in a scheme to pay bribes and other benefits to the then-superintendent of schools to get and maintain a contract to provide insurance services for the district. He pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud, conspiracy to defraud the IRS and perjury.

Gartland was sentenced to 135 months in prison.

The payments were made to allow Gartland to obtain and keep the insurance contract with the district, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He pleaded guilty to making the payments in an effort to keep an insurance contract with the district.

Gartland was charged along with co-conspirators Frank D’Alonzo, 55, a former administrator at the Toms River Regional School District, Frank Cotroneo, 62, an insurance broker.