Ex-judge gets 2 years in bribery case, lawyer gets 1 year
A former Texas judge and a lawyer who appeared before him were sentenced Wednesday to prison time for their respective roles in a judicial bribery scheme involving Bexar County cases.
Former 144th District judge Angus Kelly McGinty got a two-year federal prison term and attorney Alberto “Al” Acevedo got a year and a day. KSAT and the San Antonio Express-News have stories.
In earlier pleas, Acevedo admitted he gave the judge cash and paid for car repairs for the jurist. McGinty said he had made favorable changes to some of the lawyer’s cases.
At issue was about $7,000 in repairs to the judge’s Mercedes-Benz. Tipped to the bribery scheme by a client of Acevedo’s, the FBI secretly wiretapped courthouse phones and got the evidence to prosecute, WOAI reports.
McGinty resigned last year from his $140,000-a-year job.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Attorney pleads guilty, says he bribed judge for favorable case rulings”
ABAJournal.com: “Ex-judge accused of accepting bribes from lawyer takes plea; expected to get 2 years in prison”
