The city’s top prosecutor pleaded guilty Thursday to a corruption charge, resigned from office and was sent immediately to jail by a judge who said he couldn’t be trusted.
In a surprise development two weeks into his federal trial, District Attorney Seth Williams pleaded guilty to a single count of accepting a bribe from a businessman in exchange for legal favors.
U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond said he was not inclined to trust Williams’ assurances about appearing for sentencing set for Oct. 24, so he ordered him jailed. He was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
Diamond said he was “appalled” by the evidence he heard during the jury trial and had concluded Williams “sold” his office.
Williams, 50, faces up to five years in prison under a plea deal struck during the middle of the night after a series of phone calls. [MORE]