Dean Skelos sentenced to 4 years and 3 months after corruption conviction at retrial

Former State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was sentenced to 4 years and three months in prison on Wednesday after he and his son Adam were convicted on corruption charges in July following a four-week retrial. Adam was scheduled to be sentenced later on Wednesday.

The father and son, both of Rockville Centre, were originally convicted in 2015, after the elder Skelos allegedly used his political power to secure work for Adam at no- or low-show jobs amounting to about $300,000. The two returned to court in June after their convictions were overturned last year.

U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood added three months to what would have otherwise been a 4-year sentence because his testimony during the retrial contained “falsehoods,” various news outlets reported

Dean, 70, was sentenced to 5 years in prison on extortion and conspiracy charges in the first trial, and Adam was sentenced to 6 ½ years. They had been out on bail since last August, when a court order by Judge Wood released them because there was “a substantial question whether jurors received the correct instructions to make an accurate ruling.”

“Dean Skelos betrayed New Yorkers, and now he must be held accountable,” State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach who represents Skelos’ former senatorial district, said in a statement after the sentencing. “Corruption erodes the foundation of civil democratic society — and so, most importantly, today’s ruling will do some good in rebuilding the trust of the people.”

Prosecutors said in federal court documents filed on Oct. 19 that Dean should be sentenced longer than five years because he gave what they called “false testimony” when he took the stand during the retrial.

Defense attorney, Robert Gage, said during the retrial that Skelos admitted to helping his son, but that there was no criminal exchange, or “corrupt trade.” Dean was seeking leniency earlier this month as his lawyers reportedly said that he was struggling with depression after losing his reputation and relationship with Adam.

“Today’s sentencing makes it crystal clear why New Yorkers are sick of politics as usual in Albany” said State Sen. John Brooks. He went on to describe the former Senate majority leader’s actions as “disappointing and an abuse of the public's trust.” He said he would “fight tirelessly to root out corruption, protect taxpayer money, and ensure Long Island receives our fair share of state education aid and tax relief.”

“Improvements must immediately be made to state law to strengthen our corruption laws and to empower local prosecutors to go after dirty politicians,” Kaminsky said. “Dean Skelos’s conviction is just the latest evidence that the time for reform in New York State was yesterday.”

Timothy Denton and Matthew D’Onofrio contributed to this story.