Tania Fernandes Anderson asks federal judge to let her avoid prison time after conviction

Former Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson appealed a federal judge to sentence her to a essential amount of locality organization instead of prison as punishment for her constituents corruption conviction earlier this summer The former city councilor s request comes after she pleaded guilty in May to corruption charges tied to a kickback scheme federal functionaries disclosed she carried out in a City Hall bathroom and as multiple elected Democrats from Boston petitioned the judge in her situation to show mercy In court filings submitted this week prosecutors and her attorney battled over whether Fernandes Anderson should be put behind bars Attorney Scott Lauer the general defender assigned to Fernandes Anderson commented Fernandes Anderson s history and characteristics suggest that her offence was aberration that will not be repeated Ms Fernandes Anderson is devastated to have disappointed those who placed their trust in her Although she cannot fully repair this breach of trust she has resolved to be accountable for it Ms Fernandes Anderson has accepted responsibility tendered a guilty plea and relinquished her seat on the council Lauer revealed in a sentencing memorandum Lauer petitioned Federal Judge Indira Talwani to impose a probationary sentence on Fernandes Anderson with a requirement that she complete a notable amount of district facility Lauer also commented the former city councilor does not oppose paying restitution but petitioned Judge Talwani to impose no fine as she is unemployed and lacks the ability to pay Fernandes Anderson pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an allegation that she gave one of her staff members a bonus on the condition that be handed back to her The handoff took place in June inside a City Hall bathroom according to executives Federal prosecutors called on Judge Talwani to sentence Ferandnes Anderson to one year and one day in prison three years of supervised release and order her to pay in restitution and a special assessment Agents stated Fernandes Anderson s tenure as a city councilor was marked by anything but true faith and allegiance to her constituents and to the City of Boston Fernandes Anderson acted contrary to the law and impartiality Fernandes Anderson s bribe scheme is part of a larger pattern of putting herself first over her constituents a pattern of fraud marked by concealment and material omissions and even worse a pattern of creating false narratives that only exacerbate Fernandes Anderson s fraudulent practices prosecutors noted in court documents Fernandes Anderson is scheduled to appear in federal court on Sept at p m for a sentencing hearing before Judge Talwani according to court records Lauer argued that Fernandes Anderson saw herself as a voice for the marginalized society thrived in her political circumstances and cared deeply about her district and how it is affected by council business But in other aspects of her elected position Lauer mentioned in court documents Fernandes Anderson proved less adept including when it came to hiring staff setting salaries and awarding bonuses Lauer pointed to Fernandes Anderson s decision to hire family members and others in violation of conflict of interest rules alongside the allegation that she collected a kickback from a staff member Doing so was wrong and a violation of the inhabitants trust Ms Fernandes Anderson is devastated to have disappointed those who placed their trust in her Although she cannot fully repair this breach of trust she has resolved to be accountable for it Lauer disclosed Ms Fernandes Anderson has accepted responsibility tendered a guilty plea and relinquished her seat on the council Federal administration reported Fernandes Anderson s bribe scheme could not be chalked up to inexperience or ignorance instead it is part of a pattern of putting herself first at the expense of her constituents Fernandes Anderson s conduct in this development demonstrates anything but faith to the law and to the people whom she was elected to serve Instead of putting her constituents and the city first Fernandes Anderson put herself first by stealing taxpayer money to line her own pockets prosecutors wrote in court documents Elected agents in Boston call for leniency in Fernandes Anderson s sentence At least three sitting Boston city councilors appealed Judge Talwani to show leniency toward Fernandes Anderson Councilor Brian Worrell disclosed Fernandes Anderson has never shied away from laborious conversations or bold ideas What stands out preponderance to me is her willingness to take responsibility and to grow Worrell stated Her decision to accept accountability shows a recognition of the seriousness of the situation and I believe it reflects a person who is ready to learn from this chapter and continue contributing meaningfully to her neighborhood Rep Chris Worrell Brian Worrell s brother and a Democratic state lawmaker from Boston reported Fernandes Anderson is a woman of immense compassion cultural understanding and an unrelenting desire to serve her society She has faced challenges yes but she has also shown a willingness to be accountable to learn and to evolve Rep Chris Worrell disclosed in a letter to Judge Talwani Boston At-Large City Councilor Julia Mejia urged Judge Talwani to consider Fernandes Anderson s positive contributions While I fully acknowledge the unfortunate circumstances that have led to the need for this letter it is crucial to emphasize the heart and intention behind Ms Anderson s efforts in the public She has consistently demonstrated compassion and an unwavering commitment to the principles of equity and justice Mejia stated Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon petitioned Judge Talwani to sentence Fernandes Anderson to at-home confinement rather than a custodial sentence While Tanya sic has undoubtedly fallen short in our expectations of a masses servant she has also demonstrated a heartfelt commitment to effectively serve the majority vulnerable populations in our city Breadon noted Two other Boston Democrats on Beacon Hill Sen Liz Miranda and Rep Russell Holmes also penned letters in backing Miranda declared a prison sentence would have irreversible consequences not just for Tania but for the family she holds together and the district that still requirements her strength wisdom and system I do not ask for exemption from accountability but rather that you consider an alternative to incarceration that allows Fernandes Anderson to make restitution continue her healing and remain present for her children and population Miranda revealed Holmes announced Fernandes Anderson is a good and kind person who has shown remorse and a sincere desire to take responsibility for her actions I respectfully ask that you consider mercy in her sentencing and allow her the opportunity to continue contributing to her society outside of prison Holmes noted