A federal judge Sept. 27 sentenced a man to 17 and a half years in prison for hijacking a truck hauling $250,000 worth of computer memory chips and beating the truckdriver. The driver allegedly suffered permanent neurological damage from his injuries.

Thomas J. McAvoy, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of New York, said John Bruno also will have to pay more than $600,000 in restitution to the driver, the driver's insurance company and the companies he stole the computer chips from.

Prosecutors said Bruno hijacked the truck on May 5, 1997. The driver, John Bak, had parked his truck at a rest stop off Route 17 near Exit 84 in Deposit, NY, when he was struck in the head and his truck stolen.

A jury convicted Bruno Feb. 15, 2002, on charges of conspiracy, interfering with commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property.