TALLAHASSEE -- A grand jury Wednesday indicted a private developer at the center of a political storm involving former House Speaker Ray Sansom and a $6 million airport project.

The jury also added a felony perjury charge against Sansom, who previously told the jury he was unaware developer Jay Odom planned to use the airport building to store corporate aircraft.

The new charge of official misconduct against Odom follows an April 17 grand jury hearing in which Sansom was indicted on a felony charge that he falsified the state budget to get $6 million for an aircraft hangar sought by Odom. Bob Richburg, former president of Northwest Florida State College, was also indicted in April.

The new charges are based on documents State Attorney Willie Meggs obtained from the college after it fired Richburg. The documents include a lease showing Odom planned to use the college building at Destin Airport, Meggs said.

A scathing grand jury report concluded that Sansom, ``because of his friendship and political contributions, violated the trust that the citizens of Florida should expect from its elected representatives.''

Sansom's attorney, Steve Dobson, said he is ``confident that after all the facts are heard that Ray Sansom will be completely exonerated. I think the evidence will show that the purpose of this funding was absolutely legitimate and appropriate. I fully anticipate this case going to trial and I fully anticipate a jury returning a verdict of not guilty.''

Meggs said Odom was charged as ''a principal'' in the case, though the primary actions were Sansom's. In other words, Sansom would have no reason to seek money for an airport building had Odom not allegedly pushed for one.

The grand jury also indicted Richburg, the president of Northwest Florida State College, which accepted the construction money Sansom inserted into the 2007 budget.

The charge against Sansom and Richburg is official misconduct. It is a third-degree felony punishable by a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine.

The indictment said the men did ''unlawfully falsify or cause another person to falsify, an official record the 2007-08 state budget with corrupt intent to obtain a benefit'' for another person.

Richburg also was indicted on a perjury charge for testifying that there was never discussion to have Odom use the building to store aircraft after the college got the $6 million.

The grand jury said the college had ''every intention'' of subleasing part of the building to Odom. But for newspaper scrutiny, it went on, the deal would have gone unnoticed and ``Jay Odom's planned [hangar] would have been successfully funded by taxpayer dollars.''

Odom refused an invitation in April to tell his version of events to the grand jury. To avoid having to offer immunity, Meggs sought only voluntary testimony and didn't use subpoenas.

Alex Leary can be reached at leary@sptimes.com.

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