LOWER MANHATTAN — Prosecutors want disgraced ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to spend at least 14 years in prison — more than any jail term given to other convicted New York state legislators — for his conviction on corruption charges, according to papers filed in federal court Wednesday.
“The sentence imposed on Silver should reflect the unprecedented magnitude, duration, and scope of his abuse of power,” prosecutors said in their sentencing memo. “It should reflect the immeasurable damage Silver caused to the democratic process and to the public trust.”
Prosecutors also said they think Silver's sentence should exceed the 10 years federal probation officers recommended.
In the court documents, prosecutors said that a range of 22 to 27 years in prison would not be “unreasonable” and asked the federal judge to impose prison time “greater than any sentence imposed on other New York state legislators convicted of public corruption offenses.”
The longest sentence in recent years for a New York legislator was 14 years in prison for former Assemblyman William Boyland, who was found guilty of bribery in Brooklyn.
Silver was found guilty last November on charges of fraud, extortion and money laundering related to two bribery schemes.
Silver, 72, is slated to be sentenced on May 3.
