The former Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver, was sentenced to seven years in prison Friday after being convicted for a second time on federal corruption charges.Silver was found guilty earlier this year of using the power of his office to illegally gain over $4 million dollars in kick backs and bribes.
Silver, from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, was the second -longest tenured Assembly Speaker in state history and wielded vast influence and power before having to resign when he was indicted in 2015.
The judge rejected a request from Silver’s attorneys that, instead of jail time, he should serve on a help desk for New Yorkers trying to navigate the state’s complex bureaucracy.
The sentencing comes just one week after another former majority party legislative leader, former Senator Dean Skelos, was found guilty of using his influence to secure no show jobs for his son. Skelos' son, Adam, was also convicted. Skelos will be sentenced in late October.
It has been just over two weeks since the former architect of Governor Cuomo’s biggest upstate economic development programs was found guilty of bid-rigging, along with three upstate developers.
Dr. Alain Kaloyeros will be sentenced in the fall. Also facing prison time is Governor Cuomo’ former closest aide, Joe Percoco, who will be sentenced on his bribery conviction in September.
