Former Booker Foe Gets 2 Years for Bribery Conspiracy

He admitted to the charges in April.

The former prosecutor who tried to unseat Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker last year has been sentenced to two years in prison for a witness bribery conspiracy and coverup scheme.

Clifford Minor, 68, admitted in April that he tried to save his client, Abdul Williams, 34, of East Orange, from an illegal weapon possession charge by having another man confess to having the weapon in his possession at the time of the crime.

An FBI investigation ended with Minor being charged with conspiracy to use a facility in interstate commerce to commit witness bribery, use of an interstate facility to facilitate bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of records, lying under oath and lying to federal agents.

The scheme involved taking $3,500 from Williams and then getting another man, Jamal Muhammad, 32, of Newark, to go with him to the Newark Police Department where Muhammad said he had been in possession of the gun.

Much of the conspiracy was secretly recorded by FBI agents, including Minor coaching Williams in how to post bail for Muhammad.

When the FBI and U.S. attorneys started to question him, he then, as he admitted in court, proceeded to lie to them about his involvement.

Minor is a former Essex County prosecutor who ran in last year's non-partisan mayoral race against Booker.

 

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