Former Pittsburgh Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle was sentenced to serve 12 to 24 months and ordered to return $43,100 to the city yesterday after expressing remorse for her central role in a multi-year kickback scheme.

At a sentencing hearing, Ms. Carlisle said that she was “earnestly sorry for any misdoings and all misdoings” during her five years on council.

She said she was elected to change the fortunes of Council District 9 in the city’s northeast, and tried to do right. “Out of zealousness, maybe I did do things in an improper manner,” she said. She found herself in a maelstrom. “Everything that I stood for in terms of trying to be perfect, right and just, just went haywire.”