Lynch, sentenced to
39 months in prison,
apologizes for
offense
By RICK MALWITZ and
KEN SERRANO, From the Home News Tribune Online, December 19, 2006
NEWARK -- Former political
power broker John A. Lynch Jr. of New Brunswick was sentenced to 39 months in
federal court here today.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler, who
ordered Lynch to surrender to federal custody on Jan. 15.
On Sept. 15 Lynch pleaded guilty to mail fraud and income tax evasion. He
was released on $100,000 bail.
The 68-year-old Lynch will have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence
before he would be eligible for release.
Although more than 170 people wrote letters to the court to the supporting
Lynch, he stood alone with his attorneys.
John Arseneault, one of the attorneys who represented Lynch, said that both he
and Lynch wanted to spare family and friends the attention of the news media.
Asking the judge for leniency, Arseneault painted Lynch as a devoted public
servant who performed many selfless acts but who made an egregious mistake.
"He advocated for the homeless when nobody cared, when the suburbs around New
Brunswick were shoving their homeless into New Brunswick, because it was a
rundown city,'' Aresneault said.
As for Lynch's offenses, Arseneault said ""his moral compass went askew.''
He added: ""He's crushed. He knows in his soul that he was stupid.''
A somber Lynch rose and paused when asked if he wanted to address the court.
"I deeply regret what I have done,'' he told Chesler, apologizing to friends,
family, and the public.
"I know my shallow words of apology do little to repair the wrong.''
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Chiesa told Chesler the sentence had to send a
message to the public and to elected officials.
"Everybody is going to be watching what happens here today, to see if the most
powerful public official of the last half century is going to pay the price,''
Chiesa said.
Chesler responded by sentencing Lynch to the upper range of what the guidelines
call for 33 to 41 months in prison.
Lynch was actually sentenced to 39 months for each count he faced, but those
sentences will run concurrently.
"For those entrusted with such responsibility and power, the fall is greater,''
Chesler said.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons will assign a facility to Lynch, based on space
availability and proximity to his home.
Once one of the most influential Democrat Party bosses in the state, Lynch will
have to be obedient to the laws of federal custody.
He admitted in his guilty plea that he sought payment for using his influence,
while he was still a member of the state senate.
Using senate letterhead he urged the state Department of Environmental
Protection to look favorably on expansion plans the Dallanbach Sand Co. of South
Brunswick, and then sought payment for his advocacy.
He also admitted he failed to disclose and pay taxes on $150,000 in income he
received in 1999.
Lynch, whose family established roots in New Brunswick in the 19th century, was
mayor of the city from 1979 to 1991. He was elected to the state senate in
1981, and served until his retirement in 2002. During that period he was
senate minority leader, senate majority leader and president of the state
senate.
In addition to holding elected office, he had a firm grip on Democrat Party
politics in Middlesex County. His most significant use of power was when
he helped former Woodbridge Mayor James E. McGreevey become governor.
However, the relationship cooled once McGreevey assumed office.
rmalwitz@thnt.com
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