PERTH AMBOY — Former assemblyman and Perth Amboy mayor Joseph Vas has been given another month before he must begin a federal prison sentence on corruption charges. Originally scheduled to surrender to an Ohio federal prison on May 25, Vas now has until June 29 to report there, under an order signed May 16 by U.S. District Court Judge...
Joseph Vas enters the Federal Courthouse in Newark in this April file photo. He was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison.PERTH AMBOY — Former assemblyman and Perth Amboy mayor Joseph Vas has been given another month before he must begin a federal prison sentence on corruption charges.
Originally scheduled to surrender to an Ohio federal prison on May 25, Vas now has until June 29 to report there, under an order signed May 16 by U.S. District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton.
On April 12, Wigenton sentenced Vas to 6½ years in federal prison for his conviction on charges arising from a scheme to funnel money from a real estate deal into his 2006 congressional campaign. The one-time powerful Middlesex County Democrat is appealing his conviction. He filed a letter requesting an extension before starting his prison sentence, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Howe had no objection to the request, according to Wigenton’s order.
Why Vas sought the extension was not known today. Howe could not be reached today and Vas did not return a call seeking comment.
Perth Amboy Council President Ken Balut said Vas should be required to start his sentence.
"The delay is unnecessary. He’s playing the system," Balut said.
Vas was also sentenced in state Superior Court on April 19 to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to official misconduct and money laundering.
The former four-term mayor must serve at least five years of the state sentence, which run concurrently with the federal prison term.
Previous coverage:
• Two insurance brokers with ties to Assemblyman Joseph Vas charged with election fraud
• Ex-Assemblyman Joseph Vas appeals conviction on corruption charges
• N.J. judge unloads on convicted ex-Assemblyman Joseph Vas as two of his associates are sentenced
• Ex-Middlesex County lawmaker Joseph Vas gets prison sentence for campaign finance scheme
• Former Assemblyman Joseph Vas is sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison
• Former N.J. Assemblyman Joseph Vas to be sentenced on multiple convictions