Former NY State Senate Leader Gets Federal Prison
Former New York State Senator Dean Skelos got a new term -- four years and three months in prison.
The ex-majority leader was convicted of federal corruption charges, including soliciting bribes and defrauding the public. A jury found him guilty -- for the second time -- in July.
Skelos got a break last year when an appeals court threw out his conviction due to faulty jury instructions in United States v. Skelos. This time, Seklos only has himself to blame.
New Term
Skelos, a Republican, apologized to the court at his sentencing hearing.
"I truly am remorseful for my actions," he said before Judge Kimba Wood announced the sentence. The first time, the judge gave him five years.
"Through your crimes, you caused immeasurable damage to New York citizens' confidence in the integrity of their government," Wood said.
Adam Skelos, who was convicted with his politician-father, received four years. He cried through his sentencing.
"As you know, I have no relationship with my father and that side of the family," he told the judge. "We don't talk anymore. And that is something I thought I would only experience in death."
The Family
According to reports, Dean Skelos "threw his son under the bus" at the retrial. Skelos testified that he didn't extort money or take bribes; he just asked people to help his son get work.
Jurors didn't buy it. They decided he was guilty of abusing his position to extort more than $300,000 in bribes.
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