Run-on sentence?

A federal judge has given notice that he wants to give former House speaker Jim Black a longer sentence than recommended.

District Judge James C. Dever III said in a three-page order that it's not yet clear what the sentencing guidelines will recommend. But he then noted that the Mecklenburg Democrat could face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Andy Curliss reports.

Last week, Dever sentenced former state Rep. Michael Decker to four years in prison for accepting a bribe from Black, which the judge called "an epic betrayal."

Dever also asked a few questions that he wants answered by the May 18 sentencing:

* How much Black raised from chiropractors between 1999 and 2006.

* Whether Black paid taxes on the cash that he received as a result of his criminal conduct.

* Evidence of whether or how Black spent the money he received from chiropractors.

The judge also wants to hear about actions taken this year by the legislature to undo a law related to chiropractors. The law has since been repealed.