Judge indicted for attempted bribery

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A former New York Supreme Court justice has been indicted for attempted extortion and bribery, the U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday.

In the indictment, Thomas J. Spargo, 65, was charged with allegedly soliciting $10,000 from an attorney who had cases pending before him in the state's 3rd Judicial Circuit, the department said in a news release.

The indictment also charges that Spargo solicited the money by making the attorney think the judge would affect the attorney's life positively or negatively, depending on whether he was paid.