NY: The judge decides to reduce the sentence of the boss of the prison union

NEW YORK (AP) — A powerful New York City prison union boss currently in jail is set to free after serving less than half his sentence in a corruption case, as a judge ruled this week that his sentence should be reduced by almost five years.

Norman Seabrook was originally sentenced to 58 months in prison after being found guilty of accepting bribes to invest $20 million in union pensions in a hedge fund. The syndicate ended up losing $19 million.

However, federal judge Alvin K. Hellestein said Seabrook’s sentence was unfair because a co-defendant had his sentence reduced to just over a year on appeal.

“There is now an unjust disparity” between the convictions of the defendants, Hellerstein wrote in a notice Thursday. Hellerstein initially convicted both defendants.

Seabrook, 63, served about 21 months. He remains in jail because Hellerstein made his decision ineffective for 10 days in case prosecutors decide to appeal.

Prosecutors declined to comment on the case on Saturday. A message has been sent to Seabrook’s attorney.

As head of the New York City Correctional Officers’ Charitable Association for two decades, Seabrook gained political power and had great influence in the management of the Rikers Island prison complex. He was earning up to $300,000 a year.

According to the prosecution, Seabrook accepted a $60,000 bribe, delivered in a luxurious Ferragamo handbag, in exchange for the syndicate securing an investment in the hedge fund. Seabrook ruled out wrongdoing at the time, saying the union simply made a bad investment.