By BRUCE GOLDING
A crooked carpenters union member got cut a break today by a judge who trimmed five months off the recommended minimum sentence for his role in an off-the-books hiring scheme.
Former shop steward Brian Carson was ordered to serve 19 months in the slammer for his guilty plea to embezzling union funds.
Manhattan federal Judge Victor Marrero said he granted leniency to the second-generation union carpenter in part due to his "important work" caring for a cancer-stricken younger brother.
Carson, 50, admitted holding a no-show job with On Par Contracting and taking bribes to cover up the company's hiring of illegal aliens.
Prosecutor Lisa Zornberg revealed in court that On Par -- whose owner, James Murray, is cooperating with the feds -- last year paid $4.5 million to settle charges that it shortchanged the union's benefit fund through the scheme.
Carson was the first person sentenced in a case that also toppled powerful labor leader Michael Forde, who pleaded guilty last month in a deal that calls for at least nine years behind bars.
Carson -- who was also ordered to forfeit $100,000 in illegal payoffs and pay a $5,000 fine -- made a brief statement noting that never sought government money for spending seven days working at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
He also said "I'd like to apologize for my actions to the union."
Friday, August 13, 2010
Crooked carpenters shop steward Brian Carson gets 19 months in prison
4 comments:
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Brian Carson fell victim to the culture of corruption that the council breathes. How does Scott Danielson get away with sending michael Brennan to every ONPAR job and not get expelled. But is a shop steward on the list for 6 months tries to get a job they are brought up on charges.
ReplyDeleteLawrence D'Errico is cultivating a criminal empire of his own along with cohorts like Caperso and Willoby. Right in front of everyone nose how can this be. Who will lie next victim.
ReplyDelete19 MONTHS ISN'T LONG ENOUGH. AS PER THE CONSENT DECREE PUT HIM AWAY 20 MANDATORY .
ReplyDeleteScott Danielson is a corrupt scumbag manipulating the out of work list for his corrupt BA's in all Locals. The piece of shit doesn't even do his job.
ReplyDelete