NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez arrived at a federal jail on Tuesday to start serving an 11-year sentence for accepting bribes of gold and money and appearing as an agent of Egypt. The New Jersey Democrat has been mocked for the crimes as “Gold Bar Bob,” in keeping with his personal lawyer.
The federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that Menendez was in custody on the Federal Correctional Establishment, Schuylkill in Minersville, Pennsylvania. The ability has a medium-security jail and a minimum-security jail camp. Given the white-collar nature of his crimes, it’s seemingly he’ll find yourself within the camp.
The jail is about 118 miles (190 kilometers) west of New York Metropolis. It’s house to about 1,200 inmates, together with ex-New York Metropolis organized crime boss James Coonan and former gasoline station proprietor Gurmeet Singh Dhinsa, whom the New York Publish dubbed “Fuel-Station Gotti” for his ruthless, violent methods.
Menendez, 71, maintains his innocence. Final week, a federal appeals courtroom rejected his last-ditch effort to stay free on bail whereas he fights to get his bribery conviction overturned. A 3-judge panel on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court docket of Appeals denied his bail movement.
Pleading for leniency, Menendez informed a choose at his sentencing in January: “I’m removed from an ideal man. I’ve made greater than my share of errors and unhealthy selections. I’ve finished much more good than unhealthy.”
Menendez has additionally seemed to be angling for a pardon from President Donald Trump, aligning himself with the Republican’s criticisms of the judicial system, notably in New York Metropolis.
“This course of is political and it’s corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system,” Menendez informed reporters after his January sentencing.
In posts Tuesday on the social platform X that have been later deleted, Menendez criticized prosecutors as politically motivated and against his overseas coverage views and praised Trump for “rising above the regulation fare.”
Menendez resigned final 12 months after he was convicted of promoting his clout for bribes. FBI brokers discovered $480,000 in money in his house, a few of it stuffed inside boots and jacket pockets, together with gold bars value an estimated $150,000 and a luxurious convertible within the storage.
In alternate, prosecutors mentioned, Menendez carried out corrupt favors for New Jersey enterprise house owners, together with defending them from felony investigations, serving to in enterprise offers with overseas powers and assembly with Egyptian intelligence officers earlier than serving to Egypt entry $300 million in U.S. navy support.
Menendez, who as soon as chaired the Senate Overseas Relations Committee, resigned a month after his conviction. He had been within the Senate since 2006.
Two enterprise house owners have been additionally convicted final 12 months together with Menendez.
His spouse, Nadine Menendez, was convicted in April of teaming up along with her husband to just accept bribes from the enterprise house owners. Her sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 11.
At his sentencing, Menendez’s legal professionals described how the son of Cuban immigrants emerged from poverty to turn out to be “the epitome of the American Dream” — rising from mayor of Union Metropolis, New Jersey, to many years in Congress — earlier than his conviction “rendered him a nationwide punchline.”
“Regardless of his many years of service, he’s now recognized extra broadly as Gold Bar Bob,” protection lawyer Adam Price informed the choose.
