Sentencing Day For Sharpe James: UPDATE: 27 Months and Fine

Today, former Newark Mayor Sharpe James (D) gets to learn his fate from a judge. He, and his co-defendant, Tamika Riley, were found guilty on multiple charges stemming from improper sales of real estate.

About 125 people packed the courtroom as the hearing was set to begin. U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie and Attorney General Anne Milgram sat in the front row.

Prosecutors contend that James deserves as much as 20 years in prison for arranging the sale of lucrative city land to Riley, his onetime mistress. Defense attorneys have pleaded for leniency, saying any significant prison term would be a "lifelong sentence" for the 72-year-old James.

A jury convicted the pair in April, concluding that Riley got preferential treatment because of her ties to James and that the mayor had a duty to disclose their relationship before signing city contracts selling the properties.

The judge signaled last week that the prosecutors' request was too harsh, and said that even the 12 1/2 to 15 1/2-year prison term recommended by probation officials was "a stretch."

If James gets less than 10 years, I wouldn't be surprised. Saddened? Absolutely.

James defrauded the taxpayers of Newark for years, and he was found guilty of the crimes. He should do the time. His age is irrelevant.

UPDATE:
This is just absurd. The judge thinks that Newark didn't lose anything by James engaging in cut rate deals.

The judge who will sentence former Newark Mayor Sharpe James today said the city didn't lose any money when James arranged for his mistress to buy cut-rate city land.

Wading through a host of legal issues that will shape an appropriate sentencing range, U.S. District Judge William Martini in Newark said he wanted to clarify what he thought was a misperception.

The city absolutely did lose money on the deal because of lost opportunity costs. Had the city sold the properties through the proper channels, it would have put additional money into its coffers, instead of into the pockets of James' mistress.

UPDATE:
James' attorneys are pushing for probation. I'm sure that will go over well with prosecutors.

UPDATE:
Two years and three months (27 months) plus a fine of $100,000. No restitution to the city of Newark.

I'd say he got of relatively lightly compared to the maximum sentence. I'd put this down as a moderate slap on the wrist.