Update: Urciuoli gets 3 years in corruption case / Photos
12:19 PM Fri, Apr 10, 2009 | Permalink
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He was also placed on two years supervised release and fined $30,000. U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi denied Urciuoli's request to be released on bail pending an appeal. He must report to prison June 15. A federal jury convicted Urciuoli in October of conspiracy and 35 counts of mail fraud for buying the legislative influence of former state Sen. John Celona on behalf of the medical center. The October verdict came after Urciuoli's second trial. It was nearly five years after the federal corruption probe of Celona began and two years after Urciuoli and co-defendant Frances Driscoll were convicted, a verdict that was later overturned, forcing another trial. After the first trial, Urciuoli had been sentenced to three years in prison and Driscoll to eight months. Driscoll was acquitted at the second trial. Celona was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for his role in the crime. The October verdict was a victory for U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente and Operation Dollar Bill, a wide-ranging State House corruption probe that had suffered a setback in May when a federal jury acquitted two former CVS executives of similar charges of hiring Celona as a consultant to do the drugstore chain's political bidding on pharmacy-related legislation.
The credibility of Celona, who had testified for six days in the first Roger Williams trial, was so damaged by the end of the CVS trial, that prosecutors chose not to call him as a witness in this trial. That deprived the defense of Celona's inconsistencies and combative demeanor on the stand, but also posed a challenge to the prosecution to present a document-heavy case without a central witness to tie it together. Urciuoli's lawyers have asked he be placed in a halfway house, noting that Urciuoli did not violate a public oath like Celona and that any illegal acts were to benefit the hospital, not himself. "I never intended to commit any unlawful or illegal act," Urciuoli said. "Anything I tried to do was in the best interests of Roger Williams Hospital." In sentencing Urciuoli, Lisi described Celona as "somewhat of a shakedown artist." But, the federal judge said, "as the government pointed out, it takes two to consumate the corruption that brings Mr. Urciuoli here today." -- reported by Katie Mulvaney, Journal staff writer (The Providence Journal has been following the story of Urciuoli's sentencing today. This report was initially posted at 10:50 a.m. and updated at 11:39 a.m.) 
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All we the citizens can hope is that the Judge delivers a fair sentence that truly fits the crime committed by Mr. Urciuoli. Despite his protests to the contrary, Mr. Urciuoli was found guilty by two seperate juries. My only regret it that others CVS)involved in the shenanigans with Celona got off. There was a clear pattern of paid influence that was meant to benefit the various corrupt organizations involved with the disgraced, now felon, former legislator. Hopefully, more of these individuals will be brought to justice. In the mean time; pack a tooth brush Mr. Urciuoli.
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I hope you ge what you deserve and others like you get caught soon. Work for your money.
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I'm glad to see Mr. Urciuoli received a prison sentence. Despite the fact that he thought he deserved a break because he didn't violate the oath of public office, he was unethical in his actions, even if they were for the "benefit" of the medical center. In hindsight, all these white-collar criminals try to repent in order to save themselves from prison. Too bad they didn't think of that from the get-go.
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It appears that Mr. Corrente is very selective in who is prosecuted in the 'Operation Dollar Bill' investigations.
The biggest fish in the Senate still haven't been prosecuted... Nor will they.
Irons, Montalbano, and Alves are as free as birds, yet they were alleged to be the biggest and most corrupt offenders in betraying the public trust.
Mr. Corrente should resign. He has done nothing more than waste millions of public dollars on a wild goose chase... Or, was he completely outsmarted and duped by these miscreants who have honed their skills over the years and reaped enormous profits at taxpayer expense?
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Regarding leniency...the three years benefits the citizens of RI, not the Judge!
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IF MARTY WEINBERG TOOK THIS CASE FOR APPEAL....
DO NOT EXPECT MR. URCIUOLI TO DO ANY (if much )TIME.
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What is it with the STATE
and all the
corruption!!!?
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Was this sentence truly fair in the context of what Mr. Urcioli has done over the years for the community and the Roger Williams Medical Center? John Celona as a public official sold his office, betraying the trust of every Rhode Islander, and yet received a sentence of 30 months. Mr. Urcioli while wrong in his methods, was not in his intentions. Anyone who knows Mr. Urcioli, or has been part of the Roger Williams family, recognizes that he gave his life to that medical center. What the public fails to understand is that while Mr. Urcioli was found guilty, his actions in the context of the times, in many ways helped keep Roger Williams hospital viable, and likely saved jobs. A truly just sentence would have considered these facts.
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The other day I suggested the state change it motto to state of confusion. Now there is an Convicted by two juries, high priced lawyer, wonder if he will get time off for any time already served?? Well a federal facility is in his future, should be a country club compaired to spending time in Gen. Pop at thie ACI, and they say crime doen't pay...THE OTHER THING IN THE NEWS IS RICHARD HATCH... when he gets out he wants to serve probation in Argentina...that man is a wacko. Any one want to bet he is allowed to???? after all it is RI
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