Political operative G. Steven Pigeon was indicted Friday morning on federal charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery.
A federal prosecutor said the charges could bring 20 years behind bars if he is convicted.
The charges mirror state counts Pigeon already faces in connection
with the alleged bribery of a former State Supreme Court judge, John
Michalek. Michalek last year resigned from his job, pleaded guilty in
state court to receiving bribes from Pigeon and agreed to become a
witness against Pigeon.
Pigeon pleaded not guilty to the federal counts today, and his
defense attorney Paul J. Cambria, alleged that federal prosecutors filed
the new charges against Pigeon because they are concerned that the
state case against Pigeon is in trouble. Cambria said an evidence ruling
made by a state judge in June, throwing out key evidence in the case,
has seriously damaged the state's case.
"I believe these new federal charges today are nothing more than an
end-around in which the feds are trying to rescue the state case,"
Cambria said after a court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge
Michael J. Roemer. "I believe they are trying to take that state case
from across the street and wash it in the River Jordan here at federal
court."
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