Anthony Mangone, called ‘dirty lawyer’ by judge, gets prison despite cooperation in investigation

A former attorney whose cooperation aided the conviction of three New York state senators has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a judge who said his crimes were too serious to let him escape incarceration.

Anthony Mangone of Purchase, New York, was sentenced Monday in Manhattan.

Federal Judge Colleen McMahon called Mangone a “dirty lawyer.” She says he would have received a harsher sentence as a career criminal had he not cooperated.

Mangone’s cooperation since January 2010 and his testimony aided the prosecutions of three state senators and three other public officials.

The 42-year-old defendant apologized for his crimes.

A prosecutor called his cooperation “complete and truthful” and his lawyer called it “remarkable.”