Charges against ex-Newark mayor dropped

NEWARK, N.J., May 12 (UPI) -- Federal prosecutors Monday dropped charges of credit card abuse against former Newark Mayor Sharpe James.

The U.S. Attorney's office concluded that James would likely not face any additional prison time if on top of the sentence he faces for an earlier conviction in a real estate scam.

James was found guilty last month of helping his former mistress buy cheap city-owned houses so that she could flip them for a profit. He faces nearly six years in prison.

The Star-Ledger newspaper in Newark, N.J., said prosecutors reserved the right to refile the credit card charges should the fraud conviction be overturned. James was accused of running up about $58,000 in personal charges on his city credit card.