Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, who is dying of cancer, will be released early from federal prison, where he was serving 18 years for bribery, so that he can live the remaining months of his life with relatives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham, who prosecuted Hill about seven years ago, filed a motion Monday to reduce his term of imprisonment to time already served. U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn approved the request on the same day.

It's not clear when Hill will leave prison. The Bureau of Prisons currently lists him as an inmate. A BOP representative said Hill will be released "as soon as his medical condition permits, the release plan is implemented, and travel arrangements can be made."

Hill was found guilty in 2009 of taking part in Dallas' largest public corruption case. There were multiple defendants, including other city officials.

He has prostate cancer and, through the efforts of Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, had been housed in a North Carolina federal prison equipped to handle his medical needs since 2015.

Hill, 65, had been scheduled to be released in December 2025 due to credit for good conduct, the motion said.

Seth Kretzer, a Houston lawyer who handled Hill's appeal, said he is glad to hear Hill is getting out of prison.

"Presumably he'll have a quiet rest of his life," he said.

In his motion, Meacham said Hill's life expectancy is less than 18 months.

"His prognosis is poor, his condition is terminal and deteriorating," he said in the motion.

Meacham said Hill will live with his brother and niece in DeSoto. His family members could not immediately be reached. A message was left with Hill's attorney on Wednesday.

"The defendant's terminal medical condition and limited life expectancy constitute 'extraordinary and compelling reasons' warranting the requested reduction," Meacham wrote.

Hill's wife and co-defendant, Sheila Farrington, also was released early from prison in February 2016 for "compassionate" reasons. She has multiple sclerosis.

Former Dallas City Council member Don Hill and wife Sheila Farrington enter the Earle Cabell Federal Courthouse downtown for sentencing on Feb. 26, 2010. (2010 File Photo)

In March, the U.S. probation department asked that she be released early from her three-year probation "on compassionate grounds." Lynn granted that request.

Farrington is living in a long-term nursing home where she is receiving care for dementia and multiple sclerosis, according to the probation report. She served seven years of her nine-year sentence in federal prison.

Ken Carter, a spokesman for Hill during his trial, said he's happy about his friend's release but wished the conviction had been overturned on appeal.

Hill, he said, is still getting over the January death of his mother, who he would call every Sunday morning. Carter said he hopes Hill will live longer than expected.

"He's always in great spirits," he said. "He's the most optimistic person you can find. But it's tough."

Hill was sentenced in 2010 to 18 years in prison for his role in a bribery scheme that involved low-income housing developer Brian Potashnik, City Plan Commissioner D'Angelo Lee and much of Hill's political organization.

Hill and his cohorts coerced developers into paying large sums in bogus construction and consulting fees in exchange for votes so they could build their affordable housing projects in southern Dallas. Hill pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and extortion payments from the developers.

Potashnik testified that while Hill was mayor pro tem, Hill pressured him to hire Farrington — then Hill's mistress — for $14,000 a month, days before Hill led the City Council to approve Potashnik's affordable housing projects.

Evidence showed that Farrington did virtually no work for the money.