ST. LOUIS - Edward W. Rodzwicz, the former national president of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison Tuesday for seeking $20,000 in bribes from a St. Louis lawyer.

Rodzwicz told the lawyer, who has not been identified in court, that he was going to be removed from a lucrative list of lawyers recommended for use in work-related injury cases for alleged violations of the codes of conduct. Rodzwicz said that he would keep the lawyer on the list in exchange for two $10,000 bribes, prosecutors said.

The lawyer went to the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General after the first meeting. Rodzwicz later took a $10,000 bribe in Las Vegas and a second $10,000 bribe in Kansas City, Mo.

Rodzwicz, now 64, was indicted in federal court in October and pleaded guilty to two charges: bribery in connection with a federally funded program and interstate travel to carry on unlawful activity.