Four year sentence for Council aide Wright

Christopher Wright, the city Council aide convicted of conspiracy and fraud for his connection to a pair of developers and their lawyer, was sentenced to 48 months in prison today and must pay a $1,000 fine.

Wright, former chief of staff to Republican City Councilman Jack Kelly, must report to prison in 45 days.

The U.S. Attorney's Office had asked U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno for a 6 1/2 year sentence, a punishment that would exceed former state Sen. Vincent Fumo by nearly two years.

The U.S. Probation Office recommended a sentence of 27- to 33-months. Robreno this morning decided the range should be 51-63 months, .

Wright was convicted Feb. 24 on three of 13 counts that accused him of conspiring to sell his services as Kelly's top aide to developers Hardeep Chawla and Ravinder Chawla and Andrew Teitelman, the Chawla brothers' company attorney who doubled at Kelly's campaign treasurer. Ravinder Chawla and Teitelman were also convicted on conspiracy charges, while Hardeep Chawla was acquitted.

Ravinder Chawla and Teitelman the first week in September. Robreno has yet to rule on the defendant's motions to throw out the jury verdict based on insufficient evidence.

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