Lydell B. Sherrer, a former high-ranking official with the New Jersey Department of Corrections, has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for attempting to extort $10,000 from a subordinate employee.
Sherrer, 53, of Neptune, N.J., pleaded guilty to a single count of extortion in U.S. District Court in Trenton, N.J. on charges that he solicited the bribe in exchange for securing the employee’s continued employment with the department or its private contractors.
According to court documents, Sherrer accepted $5,000 in cash from the employee on May 17, 2010, as part of the agreed-upon $10,000 payment. He also admitted to soliciting and receiving $69,000 in bribes between 2006 and 2008 from five individuals, including the employee, and three others.
As part of his plea agreement, Sherrer agreed to forfeit $9,000, representing proceeds of his criminal activity, and to pay $22,500 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez, for the investigation leading to Sherrer’s sentence. He also thanked the N.J. Department of Corrections Special Investigation Division for their cooperation and assistance throughout the investigation.
Sherrer’s sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton federal court. In addition to the prison term, Sherrer was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $22,500 in restitution.
The case against Sherrer is part of a larger investigation into corruption within the N.J. Department of Corrections. The investigation is ongoing and has resulted in several convictions of high-ranking officials within the department.
Lydell B. Sherrer, 53, of Neptune, N.J.
Criminal Charges: Extortion
City and State: Trenton, N.J.
Exact Date: May 17, 2010 (crime date), December 2013 (sentencing)
Sentence: 46 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $22,500 in restitution
Dollar Amounts: $10,000 (bribe), $69,000 (bribes received between 2006 and 2008), $9,000 (proceeds of crime), $22,500 (restitution)
Related Federal Cases
- Carnell Baskerville, Conspiracy to Commit Extortion, New Jersey 2018 · Pennsylvania
- Janell Robinson, Conspiracy to Defraud, Mail Fraud, Extortion, New Jersey 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Thomas A. DeLeo, Honest Services Fraud, New Jersey 2023 · Pennsylvania
- Honeywell and Pfizer, Environmental Cleanup Settlement, New Jersey,… · Washington
- Hawthorne Paint Co. Inc. not named, USERRA Violation, New Jersey, 2023 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Public CorruptionPublic CorruptionPublic CorruptionPublic Corruption