Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver lost his final attempt to avoid jail on Monday after a judge sentenced him to 78 months in prison in a court saga that spanned nearly five years.
Silver’s attorneys, once one of New York’s most powerful politicians, asked Judge Valerie E. Caproni of the Federal District Court in Manhattan to allow the former lawmaker to serve his mandate in home confinement, citing the record. Silver’s cancer and chronic kidney disease and fears. that he could die from the coronavirus while incarcerated.
Caproni, however, was not convinced, saying that Silver “acted out of greed” and that it was not appropriate for him not to spend time in prison.
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Silver was originally convicted in November 2015 on charges that he exchanged favors to illegally earn $ 5 million, and then lied about it.
The Manhattan federal court jury issued the verdict after a three-week trial in which prosecutors claimed that the former Democrat Assemblyman repeatedly promised favors to enrich himself. The defense replied that the government was trying to criminalize long-standing political routines in Albany.
Caproni, who oversaw both Silver’s trial and the original sentence, ordered Silver to remain locked up for 12 years during the sentence in 2016. Silver was able to remain free on bond and that conviction was overturned in 2017.
Silver was again tried and convicted again in 2018 on corruption charges, this time receiving a seven-year sentence. The New York Democrat, however, had a portion of that conviction overturned by an appeals court.
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Silver did not escape convictions on charges stemming from a real estate plan and a separate money laundering count.
While Caproni sentenced him to 78 months in prison, federal prosecutors expected more and said that a 10-year sentence would be more appropriate.
“He abused his office,” prosecutor Daniel C. Richenthal said Monday, according to the New York Times. “He did it for profit, he did it for at least 15 years, he did it in multiple ways and he lied about it for years.”
Associated Press contributed to this report.
