Former Halfmoon supervisor Melinda Wormuth was sentenced this morning in federal court on charges of extortion and false statements. As WAMC's Southern Adirondack Bureau Chief Lucas Willard reports, the case exposed the underbelly of politics in the Saratoga County town.
Appearing before Judge Gary Sharpe in federal court in Albany, former Republican Halfmoon supervisor "Mindy" Wormuth was sentenced to a year and a day in a federal facility.
In August, Wormuth pleaded guilty to accepting payments of $7,500 in what she referred to as "consulting fees" to lobby for the legalization of Mixed Martial Arts in New York and lying to FBI investigators. Wormuth falsely claimed she spoke with a former town justice for legal advice before accepting the payment. The following day, Wormuth changed her story.
The investigation was headed up by the Federal-State Anti-Corruption Task Force that includes the FBI, the New York Attorney General's Office, the IRS, the state Comptroller's office, and others.
After Wormuth's guilty plea in August, U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian said, "This is yet another instance of an elected official who put her own interest ahead of the public's. That is unacceptable at any level of government whether in our state Capitol or in the counties and towns within the Northern District of New York."
In court Thursday, Wormuth said she was "deeply regretful" for her actions and that she was ready to accept her punishment. She said she looked forward to becoming an "involved citizen" once she serves her time.
Judge Sharpe called the agreement for a sentence of one year and a day reached between the defense and U.S. attorney's office a "reasonable and appropriate sentence." Sharpe said the he considered letters written in support of Wormuth that came from community leaders in Saratoga County.
Defense Attorney E. Stewart Jones spoke to reporters after the sentencing.
"I'm grateful to Judge Sharpe for the sentencing decision. We wanted a year in a day. We got it. We wanted to be sure that the time was done federally, not in the state facility, which are not superb. And she's been allowed to self-surrender, which was important to us because of the holidays."
Jones said the federal facility is more responsive to the needs of inmates.
"They provide them with an actual job, they allow them much more latitude and freedom than is possible in a state facility, and it's a completely different class of individual that you encounter in the type of federal camp that Mindy will be going to."
Wormuth, who did not speak to reporters, must also pay a $7,500 fine, forfeit $3,000, and pay a $200 assessment fee. She will remain free until January 26th.
Wormuth will be sentenced on her state conviction on Monday. Wormuth previously pleaded guilty to grand larceny for misusing campaign funds.
Investigators began their probe in 2013. At the time, Halfmoon Republican Committee Chair Regina Parker said she hadn't known of any wrongdoings committed by Wormuth. "None, absolutely no knowledge of any wrongdoings that Mindy was involved with," said Parker.
Investigators also looked at Wormuth and her husband's dealings with prominent Halfmoon developer Bruce Tanksi.
Tanski later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor campaign fraud after it was found he had written checks to be donated to Wormuth's campaign account through his employees and others. Tanksi received a sentence of 200 hours of community service and probation.
