Ex-mayor of Newark, N.J., gets 27 months

NEWARK, N.J., July 29 (UPI) -- Sharpe James, the former mayor of Newark, N.J., was sentenced Tuesday to 27 months in prison for helping his girlfriend buy city property.

U.S. District Judge William Martini imposed the sentence after a four-hour hearing on James and Tamika Riley, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported.

James, 72, who served as mayor for 20 years and was also a state senator, denied any intentional wrongdoing.

"All my life I tried to help the city of Newark become a better place," James said. "If I made a mistake, it was not of malice or intent. I would never do anything to hurt the city of Newark, or to hurt the people of Newark."

Riley, who apologized to James' wife during the hearing, got a 15-month sentence.

Martini said that James defrauded Newark residents by failing to disclose his relationship with Riley when he signed off on deals that involved her. But he specifically said that James made no money from the deals and that his actions were not part of a pattern of corruption.