Contractor is given probation for bribe
A federal judge yesterday issued a sentence of probation for a Philadelphia construction contractor who cooperated with the FBI and admitted to giving a $20,000 bribe to a city real estate assessor for help in reducing tax payments and resolving other issues on four of his properties.
A federal judge yesterday issued a sentence of probation for a Philadelphia construction contractor who cooperated with the FBI and admitted to giving a $20,000 bribe to a city real estate assessor for help in reducing tax payments and resolving other issues on four of his properties.
U.S. District Judge James T. Giles sentenced James F. Campenella to five years of probation for committing honest-services fraud, a charge he pleaded guilty to in September. Campenella also was ordered to serve 100 hours of community service and pay a $250,000 fine.
Under federal sentencing guidelines, Campenella faced between 12 and 18 months in prison.
Prosecutors noted that the contractor had agreed to cooperate immediately after the FBI confronted him. He testified before a grand jury about himself and the tax assessor, James F. Lynch, also convicted of committing honest-services fraud.
"Information about other corrupt activities" provided by Campenella was found to be reliable and helpful to authorities, prosecutors said.
Still, in his sentencing memorandum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Schwartz urged Giles to consider the impact of Campenella's bribe on "legitimate businesspeople who cannot, or choose not to, compete for business with and in a city when public corruption exists."
Lynch is scheduled to be sentenced today.