Ex-Mayor Of Newark Sentenced To 27 Months In Jail

Sharpe James was found guilty in April in federal court of conspiracy and fraud charges.

A longtime former mayor of Newark, New Jersey, was sentenced to 27 months in prison on Tuesday for selling undervalued city properties to his mistress, who resold them for a profit.

Sharpe James, a Democratic mayor of New Jersey's largest city from 1986 until his retirement in 2006, was found guilty in April in federal court of conspiracy and fraud charges.

A federal jury convicted James, 72, of corruption for steering city-owned properties to his companion, Tamika Riley, 39, who paid $46,000 for the properties that were then resold for more than $600,000.

Prosecutors had sought up to 20 years, but U.S. District Judge William Martini said prosecutors had exaggerated the seriousness of the case. "The victim here is the public trust," the judge said. He ordered James to pay a $100,000 fine.

Earlier, James had asked for leniency, saying, "I would never do anything to hurt the city of Newark."

Riley, a publicist from New Jersey, was also sentenced Tuesday to one year and three months after she was found guilty of fraud and tax evasion.

The deals with Riley were part of a city program designed to help blighted areas in of one of the nation's poorest cities by providing land to developers at a discount on the promise they would improve the properties before resale.

James is one of the highest profile figures ensnared in corruption cases in New Jersey, which has a history of public corruption, including several of Newark's past mayors.

His five terms as mayor included controversies over his relatively high salary and criticism in a 2002 election campaign against the current Newark mayor, Cory Booker. Booker eventually became mayor in 2006.

But his supporters credit James for helping to revive Newark after 1967 race riots that left deep scars on its landscape and economy.

While its once-high murder rate has dropped in the past two years, more than a third of Newark residents live in poverty, unemployment is high and the city has been a symbol of urban decay.

James had faced a second trial after he was also accused of using city-issued credit cards to spend $58,000 on himself and several other female companions during personal trips to destinations including Rio de Janeiro and Puerto Rico, but prosecutors dropped those charges.

Prosecutors said they would appeal the sentences. Both James and Riley were ordered to surrender to prison September 15. They are appealing their convictions.