Ex-Mayor Gets 27 Months

A federal judge last week sentenced former Newark Mayor Sharpe James to 27 months behind bars for his involvement in a real-estate flipping scheme and fined him $100,000.

Tamika Riley, James’ former mistress, was also sentenced to 15 months in prison for her participation in the land-sale ruse and ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution for rental assistance fraud.

U.S. District Judge William Martini handed down the sentencing, with James, who is 72, and Riley ordered to begin their prison terms on Sept. 15.

U.S. attorney Christopher Christie said he would appeal both sentences. Under federal sentencing guidelines, James faced a potential high-range prison sentence of 15 to 19 years while Riley faced up to 10 years.

“Given the disparity between the guidelines recommendations and the sentences imposed by Judge Martini, the U.S. attorney’s office intends to appeal the sentence,” according to a press release from Christie’s office.

In mid-April, a jury found the ex-politician guilty of using his influence to persuade city officials to sell Riley nine Newark properties in need of redevelopment for a total of $46,000. Within a few months, Riley sold the properties for $600,000 and without any rehabilitation.

James was mayor of Newark, the state’s most populous city, for 20 years, from 1986 to 2006. He also served as a state senator for two terms beginning in 1999. He was indicted in July 2007.

Following the sentencing announcement, Republican lawmakers expressed outrage that James will spend only two years and three months behind bars, and urged Christie to appeal the ruling.

“Any theft is wrong, but stealing from the taxpayers of an economically disadvantaged city like Newark qualifies as a particularly heinous act of thievery,” Sen. Kevin O’Toole said in a press release.

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