Jayson Adams

Former Passaic City Councilman Jonathan Soto was sentenced to 75 months in prison following his conviction on federal corruption charges.  Earlier this year, a jury found Soto, a former Republican Municipal Chairman, guilty of all 23 counts in an indictment that accused him of taking $44,500 in bribes for himself, former Mayor Sammy Rivera, and former Councilman Marcellus Jackson.

He was also convicted of one extortion charge connected to his role in bribing other public officials, including former Pleasantville Board of Education member Jayson Adams, and one count of procession of illegal drugs.

"Soto joins the long line of politicians going to prison for putting public office up for sale," said Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra. "We once again hope that a clear message has been sent to those in public life, that if you corrupt your office you will be brought to justice."

The Democratic legislative candidates in the second district today called for the immediate resignations of the elected officials accused today in the Pleasantville, Essex, and Passaic corruption scandal.

"The elected officials named in today's indictment should resign immediately" said Assemblyman James Whelan, who is running for the State Senate.   "This type of deplorable behavior cannot be tolerated. We need to send a clear message that these actions will not be accepted. The officials involved should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law. If convicted, their pensions should be seized, and any money illegally obtained should be returned to the taxpayers."

Rev. Alfred Steele is the Assembly Deputy Speaker and the Passaic County UndersheriffThe list of eleven public officials arrested today by FBI agents: Assemblymen Alfred Steele and Mims Hackett, Passaic Mayor Sammy Rivera, Passaic City Councilman Marcellus Jackson, former Passaic City Councilman Jonathan Soto, Keith Reid, the Chief of Staff to the Newark City Council President, Louis Mister of Pleasantville, and five current and former members of the Pleasantville Board of Education -- Jayson Adams, City Councilman Maurice "Pete" Callaway, James McCormick, James Pressley and Rafael Velez.

Callaway is the brother of former Atlantic City Councilman Craig Callaway, who was sentenced today to 40 months in a federal prison for taking bribes from an undercover FBI agent.

Soto, viewed as a rising star in North Jersey GOP politics when he was elected to the City Council in his early 20's, is the Passaic Republican Municipal Chairman.  He has endorsed Rudy Giuliani for President.

Jayson Adams of Pleasantville, who last week lost his re-election bid as president of the Pleasantville School Board, today canceled his run for Atlantic County Freeholder, and provided one more sign that the political machinery of former Atlantic City Council President Craig Callaway is grinding to a halt.

It also means Charles Garrett, backed by Assemblyman Jim Whelan's Democratic Reform Team, will run unopposed in the Democratic Primary.