Prosecutors suggest up to 33 years for Jefferson

WASHINGTON -- Prosecutors on Friday night issued a memorandum recommending that former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson be sentenced to between 27 and 33 years in prison.

Jefferson, 62, will be sentenced by federal Judge T.S. Ellis III on Friday.

The prosecution's sentencing memorandum suggests that Jefferson, who served 18 years in Congress, might have hidden resources and "poses a significant risk of flight'' and ought to be immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after sentencing at the Alexandria, Va., courthouse.

If Ellis follows the U.S. attorney's office recommendations, Jefferson would face by far the longest prison term ever imposed for congressional corruption, dwarfing the sentences meted out in such famous scandals as Abscam, Koreagate and Wedetch.

In March 2006, Former Rep. Randy "Duke'' Cunningham of California was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison for taking $2.4 million in bribes to help military contractors win government contracts. At the time, prosecutors described the sentence as longest ever handed down for a member or former member of Congress in a corruption case.

The sentencing recommendation is based on a calculation made by the court probation office in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines.

"Because Congressman Jefferson's crimes against the people of the United States were exceptional in their sheer number, length and breadth, the United States respectfully requests that this Court sentence the defendant within the applicable guideline range,'' the memorandum states. "While the guidelines sentence calculated by the Probation Office is lengthy, it is appropriate, in that Congressman Jefferson's criminal activities have surely caused or substantially added to the loss of public confidence and trust in our nation's highest levels of government.''

Later, the 25-page memorandum states, "A sentence within the guidelines range will communicate to Congressman Jefferson that his repeated attempts to sell his office were not only criminal, they were egregious. " Of even more importance is the message to the public that such egregious and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in our society. A severe sentence would send the message to the public that such egregious and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in our society.''

As to his flight risk, the government asserted that despite being in bankruptcy, Jefferson might have sufficient hidden resources and contacts in Africa to try to make his escape between sentencing and being remanded to prison if he has the opportunity.

According to the memorandum, "during the investigation of his numerous bribe schemes, law enforcement agents learned of several wire transfers from offshore territories into U.S. financial accounts that were either controlled by the defendant or whose proceeds were made available for his benefit.''

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