U.S. District Judge Robert Aguilar risks impeachment and up to 10 years in prison after being convicted of leaking a wiretap to a former mobster and lying to the FBI.
Aguilar, 59, on Wednesday became the third federal judge convicted of a felony in the past decade.He was acquitted of three other charges, including the main one, that he agreed to use his influence with a fellow judge on behalf of a former Teamsters leader convicted of embezzlement.
The federal jury deliberated more than four days. It was the second time Aguilar was tried on the charges. At his first trial, in March, a jury deadlocked on seven charges and acquitted him of one.
Aguilar, 59, who was appointed by President Carter in 1980, could get five years in prison and a $250,000 on each offense at sentencing Nov. 1.
Aguilar also could be impeached and removed from office by Congress unless the convictions are overturned on appeal.
Defense lawyer Paul Meltzer said he expected to appeal. He refused to say if Aguilar might resign to avoid impeachment.
In 1984, U.S. District Judge Harry Claiborne of Nevada was convicted of tax evasion, and in 1986, U.S. District Judge Walter Nixon of Mississippi was convicted of perjury. Both were impeached and removed by Congress, the only way a federal judge can be forced out under the Constitution.