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TRENTON - Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that the former mayor of Carneys Point, John “Mack” Lake, was sentenced to prison today for attempting to bribe his opponent to drop out of the 2006 township committee race.
Lake, 52, was sentenced to three years in state prison by Superior Court Judge William L. Forester in Salem County.
The Attorney General’s Office is reviewing its option to appeal the sentence based on the fact that the judge sentenced Lake in the sentencing range set by statute for third-degree offenses when Lake was convicted of three second-degree offenses. The state had asked the judge to impose a seven-year prison sentence.
On Dec. 7, Judge Forrester found Lake guilty of second-degree official misconduct and two counts of second-degree bribery. The verdict followed a three-day bench trial conducted before the judge in Salem County in the first week of October. Deputy Attorney General Susan Kase prosecuted the case for the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau.
Lake approached his opponent, Anthony Rullo, on at least two occasions with offers to secure him a paid municipal job if he would drop out of the race for township committee at a point that was too late for the opposition party to substitute another candidate. Rullo stayed in the race and defeated Lake on Nov. 7, 2006.
“Prison is the right punishment for this shameless attempt to corrupt the election process and use a taxpayer-funded job as a political bribe,” said Attorney General Milgram. “We will not tolerate public officials who break the law to serve their own selfish interests.”
Lake approached Rullo in July 2006 and offered to use his position as mayor - appointed by the committee - to get Rullo a paid part-time position with the Carneys Point Sewer Authority if Rullo withdrew as a candidate for township committee. Rullo brought the offer to the attention of Salem County Prosecutor John T. Lenahan, who conducted an initial review and then referred the matter to the State Police Official Corruption Unit and the Division of Criminal Justice.
In August, Lake made a new offer to secure Rullo a paid position as assistant to the township housing inspector if he dropped out of the race.
Attorney General Milgram thanked Superintendent Rick Fuentes and the State Police Official Corruption Unit for conducting the investigation; Deputy Attorney General Kase for prosecuting the case; and Prosecutor Lenahan for his assistance.
Attorney General Milgram and Director Paw noted that the Division of Criminal Justice - Corruption Bureau has established a toll-free Corruption Tipline for the public to report corruption, financial crime and other illegal activities. The statewide Corruption Tipline is 1-866-TIPS-4CJ. Additionally, the public can log on to the Division of Criminal Justice Web page at www.njdcj.org to report suspected wrongdoing. All information received through the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Tipline or Web page will remain confidential.
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