Homer Key, the Milwaukee contractor sentenced to 5 months in prison for his role in a federal money kickback scheme, will appeal his conviction.

A jury Thursday found contractor Homer Key, accused of colluding to steal federal grant money from Milwaukee County, guilty of felony forgery and conspiring to commit the crime of having a private interest in a public contract.

Contractor Homer Key was particular about his choice of words during his felony theft trial Wednesday, insisting that “retroactive” differs from “backdated” and “units” are not the same as “hours.”

Milwaukee County’s lack of competitive bidding for a disadvantaged business education program created an opportunity, the county’s director of audits testified Friday, for a former county employee to funnel federal grant money to a favored colleague.

Milwaukee contractor Homer Key faces four felony charges in a trial that began Tuesday and is expected to last through May 14.

A contractor accused of bilking Milwaukee County out of tens of thousands of dollars in federal grant money was no more than a victim of an incompetent bureaucrat, his attorney said Tuesday.

Homer Key, a Milwaukee contractor accused of stealing federal grant money, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to four felony charges.

Arraignments on Tuesday for a contractor and the former director of Milwaukee County’s disadvantaged business enterprise program have been postponed.

Freida Webb, the former director of Milwaukee County’s Office of Community Business Development Partners, was released Thursday on a $1,000 signature bond in connection with four felony charges.

Milwaukee’s decision Tuesday to repeal the minority hiring requirements that had sparked a lawsuit might land the city back in court.