WASHINGTON--A former top NASA official has been sentenced to three years probation, six months of electronic monitoring and a $2,500 fine for breaking ethics laws.

Courtney Stadd, of Bethesda, Md., was convicted of helping a consulting client get nearly $10 million of the space agency's funds.

U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer rejected the government's suggestion of a one-year prison term at Friday's sentencing hearing.

Collyer said it was a ``close call'' in deciding whether Stadd's conduct was corrupt or a misunderstanding of ethics laws, but added that he ignored his ethical obligations in steering NASA contract money to his client.