Ex-N.Y. Senate leader Dean Skelos sentenced to five years in prison

NEW YORK, May 12 (UPI) -- Dean Skelos became the second powerful state politician in New York to be sentenced to prison for public corruption.

The former New York State Senate majority leader was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison and fined $500,000 after being convicted of corruption charges.

Last week, state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was sentenced to 12 years in prison for taking $4 million in kickbacks from real estate developers and two law firms.

Skelos was the leader of the Republican-controlled state Senate, while Silver was the long-time Speaker of the Democrat-controlled House.

Silver and Skelos together controlled a $150 billion state budget.

A jury found Skelos, 68, guilty on Dec. 11 of forcing three companies with a stake in state legislation into giving work to his son in exchange for the promise of Skelos helping them. The government said the businesses provided Adam Skelos, 33, with about $300,000 and other benefits.

Executives testified that they hired Adam Skelos because they were afraid of angering his father.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara had asked Wood to sentence Skelos to a prison term of up to 15½ years and a fine of more than $350,000.

U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood handed down a hefty fine because Skelos voted to strip new senators from receiving pensions if they are convicted.

The Senate passed legislation that could strip Skelos of his $95,832 yearly state pension and Silver of his $79,224 pension, but the Assembly hasn't passed the legislation.

Lawyers for Skelos, who sought probation instead of prison time, noted the senator's accomplishments.

Skelos told his judge his reputation has been destroyed by the scandal.

"Dean and Adam have been publicly shamed and humiliated by the conviction. That is punishment enough," Dean Skelos' wife, Gail, a 30-year employee of the Senate, wrote to the judge.

Skelos was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and became majority leader in 2008 when long-time majority leader Joe Bruno stepped down six months before being indicted on eight counts of corruption. Bruno was convicted, but the conviction was later overturned on appeal.

Skelos is the fourth consecutive Senate majority leader accused of federal crimes and the third convicted.