Key Alaska corruption figures could be sentenced soon
Originally published Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 9:31 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 11:48 a.m.
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The deadline has passed for prosecutors to seek a new delay in the sentencing of former VECO Corp. chief executive Bill Allen, who pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska politicians and was the government's star witness in the federal corruption trial against former Sen. Ted Stevens.
The possibility exists that a motion to delay the Oct. 28 sentencing was filed under seal. If it wasn't, Allen and former VECO Vice President Rick Smith could soon learn their punishment.
U.S. District Judge John Sedwick accepted their guilty pleas to bribery, conspiracy and tax violations in 2007. In the more than two years since, Sedwick agreed to stay their sentencings seven times while the pair testified in trials.
But Sedwick said there have been enough delays.
"Allen's crimes are significant ones which involve the integrity of the political process in the State of Alaska," Sedwick wrote in a July order accepting the previous government-proposed delay but suggesting it should be the last. "The community has a substantial interest in seeing the imposition of punishment for these crimes without undue delay."
In that order, he said if prosecutors needed an additional delay, they would have to comply with a much tougher standard. They had to file a detailed statement by Oct. 12 in which they would identify the potential defendants against whom Allen and Smith were providing information, the date by which a grand jury would indict the defendants, the districts in which they would tried, and the likelihood that Allen or Smith would be called to testify.
Prosecutors often try to delay the sentencing of government witnesses as an incentive for their cooperation. By helping the government, a defendant can get a more lenient sentence.
VECO was an Anchorage-based company that performed maintenance, construction and design work for oil companies. Allen has testified that he offered bribes in exchange for legislation favorable to the petroleum industry.
Allen was the lead witness in Stevens' trial, and he and Smith testified in the trials of former House speaker Pete Kott, R-Eagle River, and former Rep. Vic Kohring, R-Wasilla. Former Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch, R-Juneau, is awaiting trial on charges he conspired with VECO officials.
Charges against Stevens were tossed when the Justice Department admitted it failed to turn over evidence favorable to the defense prior to trial. The same issue has led to the release of Kott and Kohring from prison while Sedwick decides whether to dismiss charges or order new trials.
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U.S. District Judge John Sedwick accepted their guilty pleas to bribery, conspiracy and tax violations. As their punishment, the former VECO chief executive Bill Allen and former VECO Vice President Rick Smith and ALL those that Took their bribes against alaskans should be given a last cig and shot without a blindfold. Or the very least life in prison.
As usual in Alaska, they'll get a plea deal with no real time for talking about, ratting on, snitching on, rolling on, and testifying against those they bribed. Crime in alaska is profitable for criminals, and costly for the citizens. The system is becoming criminal to our society with it's relationships to criminals and deals.
May they never breathe free air again.
Fresh Air
My wife and I agree even those that were in nazi concentration camps were given fresh air.
Anyone notice how the FBI dropped all the investigations into corrupt Alaskan legislators once Stevens was convicted. Notice how NY Rep. Charlie Rangle is getting away with not declaring millions on his Congressional reporting forms. They got rid of one of the Senior Republican Senators, but a Senior Democrat Rep can break the law and this administration looks the other way.
"They got rid of one of the Senior Republican Senators"
uhmmm, why the plural? who else besides the SCUMBAG stevens was gotten "rid of" by "they".
and, you do know that "they" where the republican justice department under dumbya?
Politics at its finest.
mr_one_time -- How can gas in a gas chamber be considered "fresh air"?? Is this a strange form of humor??
crosswind
My wife and I had no humor in mind,you're blowing in the wind don't waste your time.
crosswind
My wife and I had no humor in mind, you're blowing in the wind don't waste your you time.Get some fresh air! Not gas!
This makes me absolutely sick to my stomach to read about.
Am I the only one that noticed that as soon as Stevens lost his Senate seat, he was immediately released from prosecution? Prosecutorial misconduct my ass...he stayed out of prison in exchange for his chair. It's good to have friends in high places, eh?
So will be the way of the walk for Bill Allen. And Rick Smith. Politicians don't go to jail. Neither do rockstars, or pro athletes, or anyone else with enough pull politically or financially to buy their freedom.
DO NOT WORRY the person with the gold rules and that means that the persons who have beeen convicted will not serve very much prison time if any at all. the bill allens of this world are well protected by the other criminals who hold office in the state. there is two sets of laws in this land one for the common person and the other for the rich and famous. so do not shed tears for the convicted persons in the article they will do very little jail time if any at all. justice at its finest.
There was a case in Anchorage many years ago where the IRS came and litteraly drug a couple from their old VW Bug because they owed some taxes. Today, politicians like these get their wrist slapped for major corruption. Time for change.
Notice the Bill Allen hasn't rolled over on the oil companies that bank rolled him.
>>>""Anyone notice how the FBI dropped all the investigations into corrupt Alaskan legislators once Stevens was convicted.""<<<
Not true. Not according to the recent ADN story re. Young's former aid, nor in re. to others who are giving info in exchange for their limited futures, including Jim Clark, Murkie's past Chief of Staff.
The lull is for the period sufficient to transition those prosecutors who acted improperly, and involve the new folks on the detail.
The fisheries issues (and others) haven't been aired yet.
Jetil Sjoberg testified under oath in federal court, well before there was any knowledge of a federal investigation here (2002? 2003?), during the Adak Fisheries case, that when 'they' paid Ben Stevens his 'consulting fees' that "(they) believed they were buying political leverage."
That was sworn testimony in federal court, admitting to bribery.
Now ask yourself this; what leverage were they buying? The fisheries issues that they sought to benefit from (and ultimately -did- benefit from) were of a federal nature; they were undoubtedly paying Ben for access to Ted, who later claimed that he was completely oblivious to Ben's having pocketed ~$1 million from the ~$12 million in Ted's ear-marks..
No, I doubt -very- seriously that this is as 'over' as some would like it to be.
As stated earlier, the ADN story re. Young's former aid specifically states that the letting of information in exchange for the former aid's plea agreement is on-going..
Young didn't spend over a half-million bucks on legal fees 'cause he felt comfy sitting and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
BREAKING NEWS! Limbaugh, Palin, Cheney enter bid to buy NFL's Kansas City Chiefs"! /s
The harsher the punishment the better! It would also be lovely to see their kids, wives, mistresses, etc. have to go without all that money and ... ahem, prestige.
Hopefully, the newbies that are up here and on jury duty, will sentence both men to hard time in a real federal pen, instead of the quasi white collar crime "pens".
The pair of them are disgusting and definitely needs to spend at least 50 years behind bars.
Are we going to hear anything more the allegations about allen's sex abuse?
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