A former president of a failed New York bank was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison on Thursday after becoming the first person to be convicted for trying to defraud the U.S. government bailout program established during the financial crisis. Charles Antonucci, Park Avenue Bank’s former president, was ordered to serve prison time by U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald despite cooperating with authorities, who ultimately charged three other people. “Even today I have not heard an excuse or explanation for this serious conduct,” Buchwald said.