NEWARK, N.J., April 20 (UPI) -- Former Hoboken, N.J., Mayor Peter J. Cammarano III pleaded guilty Tuesday to extortion conspiracy to sell his influence, the Justice Department said.
Cammarano, 32, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark, admitting he accepted $25,000 in cash contributions in exchange for exercising his official influence, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said in a release.
Cammarano is free on $100,000 bond pending sentencing, scheduled for Aug. 3.
At his hearing, Cammarano admitted that, while a Hoboken councilman and mayoral candidate, he accepted illegal cash campaign contributions totaling $15,000 from a cooperating witness posing as a real estate developer, the Justice Department said. Cammarano admitted that while mayor, he accepted an additional $10,000 illegal cash campaign contribution from the cooperating witness.
"Today, Peter Cammarano admitted that he sold his influence as Hoboken's mayor before and after he was elected and took office," Fishman said. "Every time public officials make that choice, they betray not only their constituents, but all of their colleagues who serve selflessly."
Cammarano's guilty plea arises from a two-track undercover FBI investigation into public corruption and money laundering that resulted in the 44 people being charged in July 2009.
