Former New York State Senator and Putnam County Executive-Elect Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison on Obstruction of Justice and Tax Charges
PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that former New York State Senator VINCENT L. LEIBELL, III, 64, of Putnam County, New York, was sentenced today in White Plains federal court to 21 months in prison for obstructing a federal grand jury investigation into his extortion of cash payments from lawyers working in Putnam County and for failing to report on his income tax returns tens of thousands of dollars in cash payments he had received from those lawyers. He was sentenced by United States District Judge WARREN W. EGINTON. U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said, “Today’s sentencing of former Senator Vincent Leibell ends a sad chapter in the history of Putnam County. It should serve as a sobering reminder to all public officials throughout New York State that no one is above the law.” According to the information filed in White Plains federal court and information revealed during the plea proceeding and the sentencing: Since April 20...