Key confessor in Traficant case sentenced to probation (More Prosecutorial Malfeasance)

AP via Cincinnati Enquirer ^

[PJ-Comix]

A contractor whose confession to prosecutors began the bribery and racketeering investigation of U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. was sentenced Tuesday to two years probation and six weeks home detention.

        Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Morford said Tuesday that without the confession of contractor Anthony Bucci, Mr. Traficant's case would never have gone to trial.

        Mr. Traficant was convicted April 11 of 10 counts of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion and faces up to 63 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Mr. Traficant is expected to get less than 20 years in jail.

        Mr. Traficant's sentencing is scheduled for June 27, but an attorney he hired Monday filed a motion Tuesday asking for a 60-day delay to study the case.

        Mr. Bucci pleaded guilty in May 1999 to mail fraud and tax conspiracy charges that carried a possible sentence of up to 21 months in jail. At the time, his plea agreement did not mention cooperation against other parties.

        In August 1999, Mr. Bucci told prosecutors he had been bribing Mr. Traficant.

        “At the time we met with Tony Bucci we had no case open on Congressman Traficant,” Mr. Morford said. Without Mr. Bucci, “there would have been no case against Traficant,” he said.

        Mr. Bucci ultimately testified in Mr. Traficant's trial that he forgave a $13,000 construction bill at Mr. Traficant's farm and did numerous chores and favors for Mr. Traficant in exchange for the congressman's intervention on his behalf with state and federal regulators.

        Mr. Bucci admitted during the trial that his paving company routinely broke labor rules and violated construction standards, and that Mr. Traficant prevented him from being punished by state and federal officials.

        Based on what Mr. Morford called Mr. Bucci's “extraordinary cooperation” in the Traficant case, U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver agreed to reduce Mr. Bucci's sentence in the tax charge to home detention and probation. Mr. Bucci was granted immunity in the bribery case for his testimony against Mr. Traficant.

[PJ-Comix]

Without Mr. Bucci, “there would have been no case against Traficant,” he said.

An amazing admission here. So without the "confession" of a sleazy witness looking to reduce his own sentence, the case against Traficant would have gone nowhere.

[Vidalia]

We now see the real course the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad has taken...

Want to take bets there is more to come?

[cactusSharp]

me thinks that when real professionals get to this
...like federal reps from prosecution and the
F Lee Levin's of the world for defense, this
will stink of Clinton(s) ripe maggots. Two ways
to go here two me thinks.....the above happens
or Trafficant finds room temperature. If the
latter happens, dna those maggots...

[Libertarianize the GOP]

Lets see Traficant’s co-conspirator gets convicted of a misdemeanor and Traficant is expelled from the House; Torricelli’s co-conspirator is convicted of a felony and Torricelli is let off the hook.

[Vidalia]

Where does the smell come from?

The Hill.....

[brat]

So....the payoffs have begun. That man was railroaded and we shouldn't be sitting still for it! Does anyone know where we could best apply some pressure and get this abomination looked into?

[PJ-Comix]

Lets see Traficant’s co-conspirator gets convicted of a misdemeanor and Traficant is expelled from the House; Torricelli’s co-conspirator is convicted of a felony and Torricelli is let off the hook.

Kind of like corrupt Judicial Ying-Yang.

[xsmommy]

jimbo ping for your ping list.

[NeoCaveman]

jimbo ping for your ping list.

Thanks for the ping xs.

Mr. Bucci pleaded guilty in May 1999 to mail fraud and tax conspiracy charges that carried a possible sentence of up to 21 months in jail. At the time, his plea agreement did not mention cooperation against other parties. In August 1999, Mr. Bucci told prosecutors he had been bribing Mr. Traficant. “At the time we met with Tony Bucci we had no case open on Congressman Traficant,” Mr. Morford said. Without Mr. Bucci, “there would have been no case against Traficant,” he said.

[Catspaw]

I thought the story was a little odd because it referred to Traficant's sentencing in the future tense. This was originally published on June 05, 2002. I wish the poster would have reflected that in his post.

[an amused spectator]

Mr. Bucci admitted during the trial that his paving company routinely broke labor rules and violated construction standards...

And he's never, ever going to do these BAD BAD things again, cross his heart and hope to die (at least while anyone's looking).

;-)

[PJ-Comix]

This was originally published on June 05, 2002. I wish the poster would have reflected that in his post.

Sorry for the oversight. I posted this last night when I was dead tired and loopy.