HOUSTON, March 15 (UPI) -- Texas prosecutors are supporting the five-month sentence proposed in a plea bargain for Lea Fastow, the wife of former Enron executive Andrew Fastow.
The government is backing the sentence for Lea Fastow because the testimony of her husband, Andrew Fastow, may help further the investigation, said court papers obtained Monday by the Houston Chronicle.
However, U.S. District Judge David Hittner has said he might not follow sentence guidelines in the plea bargain worked out with Lea Fastow, a former assistant Enron treasurer. Under the plea bargain, she would serve five months in prison and five months under house arrest.
Her pre-sentencing report recommends a 10-to-16 month sentence, but leaves avenues open for harsher punishment, the Chronicle reported.
Prosecutors Linda Lacewell and Andrew Weissmann said Andrew Fastow's cooperation helped lead to the indictment of ex-Enron Chief Executive Officer Jeff Skilling and former chief accountant Rick Causey.
Lea Fastow pleaded guilty Jan. 14 to one count of filing a false tax report on her 2000 personal taxes. Her husband pleaded guilty to two felony conspiracy charges the same day and will cooperate with the government.
Lea Fastow is scheduled to be sentenced April 7, but she has requested a one-week delay since the Jewish holiday of Passover is in the same week as her sentencing date.
