TRENTON, N.J. – A former New Jersey lawmaker snared in the state's largest corruption sting is going to prison for nearly 3 1/2 years.
A federal judge in Trenton sentenced Daniel Van Pelt on Friday for bribery and attempted extortion. The former assemblyman from Ocean County must turn himself in after the holidays.
Van Pelt told the judge he was trustworthy and never believed anyone would try to bribe him. He was convicted in May.
Prosecutors said the 46-year-old accepted $10,000 in cash in exchange for his assistance in securing government approvals for purported real estate projects in his district.
Van Pelt testified he considered the payment from government informant Solomon Dwek to be a consulting fee.
He was among 44 people arrested in the sting and the second one convicted. Seventeen have pleaded guilty.
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