Perez Scheduled To Be Sentenced Tuesday

Former Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow morning.  Perez was convicted on corruption-related charges in June.  WNPR's Jeff Cohen reports.

 

A jury found Perez guilty of trading his influence at city hall for $40,000 in home improvements from a city contractor, and for trying to extort $100,000 from a developer.  Perez could face up to 60 years in prison and he has vowed to appeal the conviction.

 

Friends have sent more than 200 letters of support to the state court judge who will decide Perez's fate.  Supporters such as Luis Caban, say they will try to help the former mayor financially.

 

"Eddie is not a person of great means.  He certainly did not make himself wealthy sitting in the mayor's seat for eight, nine years."

 

Caban says he's thinks Perez got a raw deal.

 

“It’s beyond my wildest imagination how he could be found guilty on five of those six charges. The only thing I can imagine is that the jury itself was wanting to hold public officials to a much higher standard.”

 

Perez served as mayor from 2001 until his resignation in June. 

 

For WNPR, I'm Jeff Cohen.

 

NOTE: Listen to Where We Live at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning for a full show dedicated to the topic of Perez and the city's future.