Sentenced Tuesday to nearly four years in federal prison for his part in a fraud conspiracy involving Oregon solar energy tax credits, Seattle energy consultant Martin Shain blamed "the harsh glare of a critical media" for his troubles.

Shain's conviction stemmed from hiding more than $1 million of income he generated after he bribed an Oregon Department of Energy employee.

"The past 3 ½ years have unfolded as a nightmare," Shain, 61, told the court at his sentencing Tuesday. "What began as a few words in a newspaper article unleashed ... unspeakable daily angst."

The Oregonian/OregonLive exposed the scam in a 2,600-word investigative report in 2015. The news organization found a state program to encourage solar development by issuing tax credits was riddled with fraud and deception and that Oregon hadn't followed its own rules for issuing the credits.

In June, Shain pleaded guilty to two federal charges of tax fraud and conspiracy. In addition to serving 46 months in prison, he must pay $521,000 in restitution.

Shain has also pleaded no contest to state charges of forgery, bribery, racketeering and grand theft and is due to be sentenced on those charges next week.

Federal sentencing documents indicate his plea agreement with the state calls for 48 months in prison, to run concurrently with his 46-month federal sentence. The Oregon Department of Justice, though, said Tuesday the sentencing range on the state charges could run as long as 60 months -- five years.

Those sentencing documents indicate that Shain and Joseph Colello, a former employee of the Oregon Department of Energy who accepted Shain's bribes, schemed to personally enrich themselves by selling these tax credits.

Their plot called for Colello to tip off Shain with the names of prospective tax credit buyers and sellers, based on internal Energy Department information. According to the sentencing documents, Colello made it appear Shain had brokered existing deals so Shain could collect a commission on the transaction – then kick back some of the commission to Colello.

Their plot generated more than $1.3 million in income for Shain, according to his plea deal, which he didn't report on his taxes.

Colello has already been sentenced to five years in prison, and must pay $81,000 in restitution, after pleading guilty to accepting $300,000 in bribes from Shain. Federal records indicate Colello is imprisoned in a federal facility in Texas.

At Tuesday's sentencing, Shain said he had tried to live his life with "kindness" but allowed he "made mistakes" in the case.

"I did the wrong thing," he said. "I didn't pay the taxes owed."

Federal Judge Robert E. Jones rejected the notion that Shain was before him for a simple mistake.

"It was a criminal act and a knowing criminal act of a substantial magnitude," Jones told him.

Still, the judge noted Shain had no prior criminal record and said he believed Shain will be a model for other prisoners at the medium-security federal prison in Sheridan, where Shain will serve his time.

"You're essentially a good man who went bad," the judge told Shain. "I wish you well."

-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699