The NY Post reports that former Queens city council candidate Al Baldeo was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for illegal campaign donations and witness tampering.
According to the report, Baldeo "was sentenced to 18 months in prison Monday for funneling illegal campaign contributions into his unsuccessful bid for a Queens council seat.In the fall of 2010, Baldeo, who was a district leader at the time, received illegal contributions through intermediaries, also known as straw donors.
"Manhattan federal prosecutors charged the crooked pol with seven counts of obstructing justice last August. Baldeo, 54, was also found guilty of tampering with witnesses by instructing them to lie to the feds.Baldeo’s lawyer, Christina Corcoran, pleaded with the judge not to imprison the “already broken man.”
“Mr. Baldeo’s story is a tragic one, I think,” she said. “He raised himself up, got a law degree, became a magistrate judge. He lost it all based on bad judgment.”
But federal Judge Paul Crotty wasn’t buying it.“What Mr. Baldeo did over an extended period of time was pollute the administration of justice. It’s even worse because Mr. Baldeo is a lawyer. His sentence demands incarceration,” Crotty said.
Baldeo also has to pay $15,700, do 300 hours of community service and spend three months on house arrest following his prison time. He must report to prison by March 23."
http://nypost.com/2015/02/03/queens-pol-gets-18-months-for-illegal-campaign-contributions/
Michael Benjamin
