A former assistant Navy secretary was sentenced to four years in prison Friday for taking bribes from military contractors as part of the Pentagon procurement scandal disclosed three years ago.
Melvyn R. Paisley, who pleaded guilty in June, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton to pay $50,000 in fines and serve two years probation."Mr. Paisley deserves no break in this matter," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Aronica. "He has brought disgrace upon the U.S. Navy and the public in general by his actions."
Paisley, 67, the highest-ranking Pentagon official convicted in the "Operation Ill Wind" investigation, addressed the judge before the sentence was imposed. He agreed that he had disgraced the Navy but added, "I've been a patriot all of my life."
His attorney, E. Lawrence Barcella Jr., argued unsuccessfully that Paisley should be sentenced to home detention because he is being treated for prostate cancer. Barcella is considering an appeal.
In pleading guilty June 14, Paisley admitted that he agreed to take kickbacks from three defense firms.