BREAKING: Ex-New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, once one of state's premier powerbrokers, gets 12 years in prison.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 3, 2016
The Lower East Side-based Sheldon Silver, who became "one of the state’s most powerful and feared politicians as speaker of the New York Assembly," received a 12-year prison sentence this afternoon for federal corruption crimes.
Said U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni, who also levied a $1.75 million fine on the 72-year-old Silver:
“I hope the sentence I am going to impose will serve as a general deterrent to others that other politicians will see that corruption is going to be dealt with severely. I hope that the sentence I’m going to impose on you will make the next politician hesitate just long enough before taking a bribe or a kickback, for his better angels to take over. Or if there are no better angels and for some people, there are not, then maybe his fear of living out his golden years in an orange jumpsuit will put him on the straight and narrow.”
Silver was convicted on Nov. 30 of charges that included honest services fraud, money laundering and extortion. Silver's attorney said that he will appeal the verdict and sentence.
Head to The Lo-Down for a full report and photos.
