Former state Sen. Leland Yee was sentenced by a federal judge in San Francisco Wednesday to five years in prison for his political corruption conviction. The law – which was immediately put on hold by a California court shortly after it was signed into law by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) – would fine retailers $2,000 (per instance) for selling “Mature-rated” video games to minors.
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‘Nothing will ever take away the pain I have caused to my friends, family, constituents and the institution I represented, ‘ he told Breyer, according to SF Gate.
Brandon Jackson, 29, and sports agent Marlon Sullivan, 31, pleaded guilty on July 1 to participating in the organized-crime racketeering conspiracy.
Yee, 67, pleaded guilty in July 2015 to a count of federal racketeering for accepting bribes from undercover FBI agents between 2012 and his arrest in March 2014. He has acknowledged that he accepted thousands of dollars as bribes and discussed with an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation agent that he will help the latter buy automatic weapons from the Philippines. Keith Jackson also admitted he committed several crimes to further the conspiracy. “The crimes you committed have resulted in essentially an attack on democratic institutions”, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer told Yee on Wednesday. The government had recommended an 8-year sentence for Yee, but Yee’s attorney’s argued that prosecutors had no evidence that Yee accepted more than $100,000 or agreed to import 200 guns.
Yee is a long-time politician who also served in the state Assembly and on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Prosecutor Susan Badger said during the sentencing hearing that Yee was looking for money to win the race for secretary of state as he was being forced from the state Senate by term limits.
He pleaded guilty to racketeering, and now former state Sen. He has remained free while awaiting sentencing.
They were scheduled to be sentenced by Breyer later Wednesday.
The bribes and payments Yee acknowledged included $10,000 to vouch for a supposed businessman seeking a state Public Health Department grant; $6,800 for a certificate honoring the Chee Kung Tong; $11,000 for a meeting to discuss potential statewide marijuana legislation; and $6,800 for a meeting to discuss the arms deal.
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Prosecutors say Chow and some other members of the fraternal group engaged in drug trafficking, money laundering and the sale of stolen cigarettes and top-shelf liquors. ‘I want to do something for the community.
