After term limits forced him from the Florida Senate in [[2000]], Childers ran for the [[Escambia County District 1|District 1]] seat of the [[Escambia County Commission]]. He became embroiled in the [[soccer complex corruption scandal]] and was found guilty of violating the Florida [[Sunshine Law]] and of bribing Commissioner [[Willie Junior]] to help push the purchases of two properties, totaling $6.2 million, from Childers' associates [[Joe Elliott|Joe]] and [[Georgann Elliott]].
He is currently incarcerated at the Childers served nearly three years of a 42-month prison sentence in West Palm Beach Work Release Center and is scheduled for release was released on [[June 17]], [[2009]], after which he relocated away from Pensacola. On [[June 8]], [[2010]], a federal appeals court overturned the bribery conviction, ruling that Childers' constitutional right to confront his accuser had been violated, as the defense team was not allowed to question Junior on his change of testimony.<ref>[http://www"Federal appeals court reverses Childers conviction.dc.state" ''Associated Press'', June 8, 2010.fl.us/ActiveInmates/detail.asp?Bookmark=18&From=list&SessionID=1024100380 Florida Corrections - Inmate Information Detail]</ref>
==Early life & education==