Former Falls mayor takes plea deal
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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Former Niagara Falls Mayor Vince Anello will be heading to jail after pleading guilty to falsely collecting a pension.
Anello pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court for giving false information while collecting a pension from his local electric workers union in 2007.
He also violated union rules by working too many hours while collecting his pension.
Anello faces 10 to 16 months in prison for the crime and will have to pay up to $120,000 in restitution to the union. It is unclear if he will face a shorter term behind bars.
U.S. Attorney William Hochul said, "Well I think we’ll have to wait to see. I’d hate to and won’t speak for the district court on that. But under our federal rules, this particular kind of plea, which does call for a required jail sentence, does give the judge discretion as to whether or not to accept the plea in its entirety or reject it in its entirety."
As part of the plea agreement, separate bribery charges involving Niagara County Businessman Joe Anderson were dropped.
Anello is scheduled to be sentenced on December 20.