Judge suddenly resigns, takes plea in federal corruption case
Updated: A Philadelphia judge suddenly resigned on Tuesday, then took a plea in federal court on Wednesday to corruption charges unsealed earlier in the day.
The criminal information charged now-former municipal court judge Joseph Waters Jr. with mail fraud, honest services wire fraud and aiding and abetting. He pleaded guilty to those charges Wednesday afternoon, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Waters, 61, who once worked as a city police captain, was charged with offering his judicial influence to two campaign donors.
His lawyer, Michael Engle, said Waters refused to cooperate with the government in any ongoing investigation, Reuters reports. Prosecutors agreed to recommend a two-year prison term at the scheduled January sentencing, according to the attorney.
The feds set Waters up for a sting by having a donor introduce him in 2012 to an undercover FBI agent posing as a business associate. The agent sought the judge’s help with a felony gun case linked to a cousin, but in fact the defendant did not exist, unidentified sources tell the Inquirer.
When Waters asked the municipal judge hearing the gun case for “help,” their conversation was recorded, the newspaper reports.
The Legal Intelligencer (sub. req.) also has a story.
Updated at 4:15 p.m. to include Michael Engle comments and other information from Reuters.
