Hiram Monserrate, a former New York City councilman and state senator, will spend up to two years in federal prison for funneling more than $100,000 of taxpayer money into his campaign for state Senate.
Monserrate, 45, a Democrat from Queens, pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of mail fraud in connection with the scheme to divert City Council discretionary funds, which are meant for community programs, through a nonprofit and into his failed bid for Senate in 2006, officials said.
U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon on Tuesday sentenced the disgraced former Marine and ex-NYPD cop to 24 months in prison and ordered him to pay $79,434 in restitution, according to Rose Gill Hearn, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation.
"Hiram Monserrate was undone by his greed and now will pay the price. He used a nonprofit's money to serve his own political career rather than his constituency and with today's prison sentence will forfeit his freedom," Hearn said in a statement. "DOI and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York will continue to safeguard public funds and ensure that individuals who squander them, particularly elected officials, are held accountable."
Although he lost the 2006 Senate primary, he eventually won election to the Senate in 2008. A few weeks after the election, Monserrate was arrested on charges the slashed his girlfriend's face during an argument.
A judge eventually acquitted him on the felony counts but convicted him on a misdemeanor assault charge for dragging her by her arm through his apartment building to get her to the hospital.
In early 2010, the Senate voted to expel Monserrate.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:57 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:57:40 GMT
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:47 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:47:54 GMT
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:06 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:06:34 GMT
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
Thursday, May 16 2013 1:17 PM EDT2013-05-16 17:17:42 GMT
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City.
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City. In a report released Thursday, dozens of daycares cited by the Dept. of Health for serious and critical health code violations since 2010, have not fixed the problems and continue to operate without penalty.
Wednesday, May 15 2013 11:08 PM EDT2013-05-16 03:08:35 GMT
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 9:54 PM EDT2013-05-15 01:54:43 GMT
The FDNY must subject itself to court supervision for five years to ensure it does not discriminate against blacks and Hispanics in its hiring practices, a federal appeals court said.
The FDNY must subject itself to court supervision for five years to ensure it does not discriminate against blacks and Hispanics in its hiring practices, a federal appeals court said.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 3:59 PM EDT2013-05-14 19:59:22 GMT
USDA photo
The tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated from Manhattan and Staten Island, but remains a problem in Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of Long Island.
The tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated from Manhattan and Staten Island, but remains a problem in Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of Long Island, according to state agriculture officials.
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Hiram Monserrate (file photo)
