PEORIA - A federal jury found former congressional candidate Brent Winters guilty of tax fraud Wednesday.

Winters was found to have filed a false tax return in 1998, the year he ran for Congress in a bid to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the court found that Winters loaned his own election campaign more than $36,000, then declared the loan uncollectible and sold it for $2,500 to a trust fund controlled by himself and his wife. Winters then declared the roughly $34,000 loss as a deduction on his tax return.

The law does not allow a deduction of that type of debt, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Winters could face up to three years in prison, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Winters' unsuccessful 1998 run for Congress pitted him against David Phelps of Eldorado. Winters' wife, Susan, made headlines during the race by giving birth to the couple's eighth child and attending a fundraiser for her husband's campaign later that same day.

In the same case, Winters was acquitted of a tax fraud conspiracy charge involving defendants Kenton W. Tylman and Debra J. Hills, both of Charleston. The court found both Tylman and Hills guilty of the conspiracy charge.

Sharon Paul, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said the attorney's office is satisfied with the verdict.

"The evidence was presented to the jury, and the jury weighed the evidence and studied it carefully," Paul said.

Winters represented himself for part of the court proceedings, Paul said. During the proceedings, Winters enlisted the help of attorney Kent Heller, who represented Winters through the court's verdict.

"My attorney was skilled, and he brought out a lot of the truth," Winters said.

Heller said he agreed with the closing statements of Judge Michael M. Mihm in the case.

"When the trial concluded, Judge Mihm told the jury that this was a good example of the decision-making being in the hands of the people, and I concur with him 100 percent," Heller said.

Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for Oct. 31. Winters declined to comment on whether he would appeal the conviction.

Kenneth Lowe can be reached at klowe@herald-review.com or 421-7985.