New Jersey Judge schedules sentencing of State Sen. Wayne Bryant
From Sunshine Review
June 19, 2009 A federal judge has scheduled the sentencing for former state Sen. Wayne Bryant, who was convicted in November on 12 counts of fraud and bribery, for July 23.[1]
[edit] Fraud and bribery
Bryant was a Camden County Democrat senator who served for 25 years. He was convicted of fraud and bribery for taking a low-work job at the School of Osteopathic Medicine at UMDNJ in exchange for siphoning $10.5 million in state funding toward the Stratford school as head of the Senate Budget Committee.
The former senator was also convicted of pension fraud for sending law firm associates to work as a solicitor in his stead for the Gloucester County Board of Social Services. He acquired about $50,000 a year for this function, done by these lawyers.[1]
[edit] The defense
Bryant's lawyers argued that his prosecutors did not demonstrate a link between his position and the benefits he received, but last month Bryant's motion for acquittal was denied.
The former University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey dean and Bryant's co-defendant, R. Michael Gallagher, also faces sentencing on July 23. The two face at least 15 years in federal prison. However, U.S. District Court Judge Freda Wolfson has wide discretion in handing down a sentence, reported The Star-Ledger.
[edit] External links
- "Bryant charged with corruption," Mar. 30, 2007
- "Sen. Bryant quits budget committee," Sept. 26, 2006
- "Ex-NJ state senator convicted of fraud," Nov. 2008
- New Jersey State Legislature
[edit] References
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