U.S. District Judge Dudley Bowen Jr. ruled Monday that former state Sen. Charles Walker will have to report to federal prison while his conviction is being appealed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmund A. Booth Jr. said the judge issued a 13-page order that denied Mr. Walker's request to remain free while appealing his case.

The court denied Mr. Walker's motion for bond pending appeal and a motion to permit him to surrender after a federal facility is designated by the federal Bureau of Prisons, Mr. Booth said.

The prison to which he would report has not been made public.

"We vigorously opposed granting of the bond pending appeal," Mr. Booth said, "and we're very pleased with the court's ruling."

Mr. Walker, who was sentenced last week and ordered to report Dec. 15, can appeal Judge Bowen's ruling to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Walker received a 10-year, one-month sentence Nov. 29 after a two-day hearing in Augusta's U.S. District Court.

He was also ordered to pay more than $1 million in fines and restitution.

The longtime Augusta political leader was convicted in June on 127 felony counts of conspiracy, mail fraud and filing a false tax return for his charity event, the CSRA Classic.

After the sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Goolsby said the former senator was the highest-ranking Georgia politician ever convicted.

His daughter, Monique Walker Hill, was indicted with Mr. Walker but was granted a separate trial. She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor tax crime and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 19. She faces up to one year in prison and as much as a $100,000 fine.

Reach Bill Kirby at 823-3344 or bill.kirby@augustachronicle.com.