Vas Pleads Guilty To State Corruption Charges
FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) -- Former Perth Amboy and state assemblyman Joseph Vas has pleaded guilty to official misconduct, theft and money laundering charges.
Vas entered his plea to the state charges Thursday in Superior Court in Freehold.
He was convicted last month by a federal jury of mail fraud, election finance violations and lying to authorities.
State prosecutors will recommend concurrent eight-year sentences for each of two official misconduct counts. The state sentence will run at the same time as his federal sentence, which is to be handed down early next year.
Earlier Thursday, Vas' longtime aide, Melvin Ramos, admitted that he conspired with Vas to launder campaign cash and obtain illicit payments from a city vendor. As part of his plea deal,
Ramos agreed to testify against Vas.
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