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04-20-2006, 03:02 PM
Long Island
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Ex-Suffolk lawmaker gets 6 months for bribe charges
Fred Towle Jr. leaves court (Newsday/ John H. Cornell Jr.)
BY RICK BRAND
Newsday Staff Writer
April 20, 2006, 1:54 PM EDT
Ex-Suffolk lawmaker Fred Towle Jr., the first of District Attorney Thomas Spota's corruption convictions, was sentenced to six months in county jail and five years probation on bribery and fraud charges after prosecutors credited Towle's help in netting a dozen other public officials.
State Supreme Court Justice Robert W. Doyle, who at Towle's plea three years ago said he intended to send Towle to prison for two to six years, gave him less jail time, but, in stern terms, criticized the Shirley-based ex-official for violating his oath of office and having "brought disgrace to himself and his family, but also his colleagues in the Suffolk County legislature and elected officials everywhere."
During the sentencing proceeding, Christopher McPartland said that Towle "cooperated fully" with the prosecutors, wore a wire and "was available day and night" as recently as the last several months to help the district attorney's office make cases in their multi-pronged corrution investigation. "His cooperation helped the district attorney address the culture of corruption in the county," said McPartland.
McPartland detailed the extent of Towle's cooperation to Doyle in a sentencing document that the judge later sealed, including the cases against other 12 public officials. The prosecutor later declined to name the other officials or detail Towle's role in other cases. Prosecutors also declined to say what if any role Towle might continue to play in their ongoing investigation.
Towle, 40, resigned his legislative post in May 2003 when he pleaded guilty to charges of bribe taking and a scheme to defraud the government to satisfy 35 counts against him, including money laundering and filing false business records.
Towle, currently the sales and marketing manager of the South Shore Press, served eight years as a county lawmaker and was one time aide to Edward Romaine when he was county clerk and during his first stint as a county lawmaker. Many officials say Towle's downfall helped pave the way for the election of Demcoratic County Executive Steve Levy, a Democratic county legislature and the Democrat's takeover of Brookhaven town.
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Ex-Suffolk lawmaker gets 6 months for bribe charges
Fred Towle Jr. leaves court (Newsday/ John H. Cornell Jr.)
BY RICK BRAND
Newsday Staff Writer
April 20, 2006, 1:54 PM EDT
Ex-Suffolk lawmaker Fred Towle Jr., the first of District Attorney Thomas Spota's corruption convictions, was sentenced to six months in county jail and five years probation on bribery and fraud charges after prosecutors credited Towle's help in netting a dozen other public officials.
State Supreme Court Justice Robert W. Doyle, who at Towle's plea three years ago said he intended to send Towle to prison for two to six years, gave him less jail time, but, in stern terms, criticized the Shirley-based ex-official for violating his oath of office and having "brought disgrace to himself and his family, but also his colleagues in the Suffolk County legislature and elected officials everywhere."
During the sentencing proceeding, Christopher McPartland said that Towle "cooperated fully" with the prosecutors, wore a wire and "was available day and night" as recently as the last several months to help the district attorney's office make cases in their multi-pronged corrution investigation. "His cooperation helped the district attorney address the culture of corruption in the county," said McPartland.
McPartland detailed the extent of Towle's cooperation to Doyle in a sentencing document that the judge later sealed, including the cases against other 12 public officials. The prosecutor later declined to name the other officials or detail Towle's role in other cases. Prosecutors also declined to say what if any role Towle might continue to play in their ongoing investigation.
Towle, 40, resigned his legislative post in May 2003 when he pleaded guilty to charges of bribe taking and a scheme to defraud the government to satisfy 35 counts against him, including money laundering and filing false business records.
Towle, currently the sales and marketing manager of the South Shore Press, served eight years as a county lawmaker and was one time aide to Edward Romaine when he was county clerk and during his first stint as a county lawmaker. Many officials say Towle's downfall helped pave the way for the election of Demcoratic County Executive Steve Levy, a Democratic county legislature and the Democrat's takeover of Brookhaven town.