Prosecutors Seek 12-15 Years In Prison For Ex-Senate Leader Dean Skelos
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A judge should sentence a former state Senate leader for his extortion conviction to about 12 to 15 years in prison, federal prosecutors said in pre-sentencing submissions filed Monday.
Prosecutors said Republican ex-senator Dean Skelos and his son, Adam Skelos, should each face prison terms approaching or within federal sentencing guidelines, about 10 to 12 years for the son.
"At a time when the public's trust in their government is at an all-time low, Dean and Adam Skelos -- through their conduct and their words -- have managed to lower the bar even further,'' prosecutors said. "Judges have routinely relied on precisely this kind of public harm analysis in imposing substantial prison terms in similar cases.''
Skelos and his son are scheduled to be sentenced April 28. They were convicted in December after a jury agreed with prosecutors that Skelos had strong-armed three companies with a stake in state legislation into giving work to his son. The government said the businesses provided the son with about $300,000 and other benefits.
Besides the prison term, prosecutors asked that Skelos' sentence include a "stiff and substantial fine'' of more than $334,000.
"Through their crimes, Dean and Adam Skelos have fed the public's worst fears and suspicions about their government: that our elected officials are not looking out for the public good, but instead looking out only for ways to turn the immense power entrusted in them into personal profit,'' prosecutors said.
Skelos and his son, in their own submission last month, asked that they be spared from prison terms and instead be sentenced to probation.
A message seeking comment from Skelos' attorney wasn't immediately returned.
Meanwhile, when voters on Long Island head to the polls in two weeks, they'll select the person to succeed Skelos, who gave up his seat when he was convicted.
Democratic Congresswoman Kathleen Rice is backing Toddy Kaminsky.
"I don't think there is any doubt that the number one issue is people having a lack of trust in their public officials," Rice said. "I think we need people with his moral compass, his integrity."
O'Brien Murray, the senior adviser to Republican Chris McGrath, said McGrath is ready to fight corruption.
"He's for term limits," Murray said.
Both candidates believe the presidential primary on April 19 will bring out more voters.
"I think both sides are going to be energized to have a good turnout because of the primaries," Kaminsky said.
"To have the voters who are going to vote in the presidential primaries show up and vote that day is fantastic for Chris McGrath," said Murray, who believes the energy generated by Donald Trump will help.
McGrath has been endorsed by Republican Congressman Peter King.
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