Gov. Mark Sanford on Thursday suspended LaRue Alford as mayor of Lake City, and Alford turned himself in to authorities on a federal charge of dealing in counterfeit money.

Alford, while out on personal recognizance bond on state charges, had been in Tennessee at a mayor?s conference when authorities were looking for him Wednesday, said Charleston attorney Lionel Lofton as he represented Alford at the hearing.

Leaving the state without court permission was a violation of the terms of Alford?s bond, said Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Day II, who is prosecuting the case.

Day said he?s concerned Alford is a flight risk.

Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Rogers III, however, granted a $50,000 personal recognizance bond for Alford, and Alford was released Thursday.

Lofton said he told Alford leaving South Carolina would not be a violation of his bond terms. Lofton said he takes the blame for the violation.

?I can assure you he didn?t intentionally violate any conditions of his bond,? Lofton told Rogers.

Alford, 45, of 237 Williamsburg Ave. could face a fine of as much as $250,000 as well as 20 years in prison.

Day said at Thursday?s hearing that he estimated Alford?s sentence, if convicted, would be about two years.

Alford was released from jail April 20 after Florence County Magistrate John L. Miles granted a $25,000 personal recognizance bond for each of the two state charges facing Alford.

?Our charges are still pending, and we will watch the federal prosecution with interest,? said 12th Circuit Solicitor Ed Clements III.

Alford was arrested April 19 on charges of misconduct in office and obstruction of justice.

Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone said the charge of misconduct involved Alford?s ?willfully and knowingly possessing counterfeit U.S. currency.?

Boone said Alford also harbored a criminal suspect at his Lake City business, Pirate?s T-Shirts Plus. Boone said the suspect was fleeing police after passing counterfeit money at another Lake City business. Alford lied about the suspect?s whereabouts, then provided the suspect with clothing to alter his appearance, the sheriff said.

The charges against Alford came as the result of a 14-month investigation into corruption in Lake City?s government. The investigation involved the Florence County Sheriff?s Office, assisted by the State Law Enforcement Division, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

If a grand jury indicts a South Carolina mayor, the governor?s legal counsel recommends the governor suspend the mayor until the charges are resolved, said Joel Sawyer, a spokesman for Sanford.

A town or city?s mayor pro-tem would serve as mayor during a suspension, Sawyer said. Lake City?s mayor pro-tem is A. Russ Martin.