Ray Gallison, the once-powerful chairman of the House Finance Committee, formally pleaded guilty Thursday to nine federal charges, after a judge told him he faces a maximum prison sentence of 111 years.
Investigators announced in January that Gallison would plead guilty to charges he had enriched himself by preying on others, including a disabled person and a deceased friend.
During a change of plea hearing before Judge William Smith in US District Court, Gallison said he agreed with a prosecutor’s description of how he stole a total of about $660,000 for his own benefit.
Smith told Gallison, 64, his maximum penalty could include a 111-year prison sentence and a fine of $1.8 million.
Smith also warned Gallison that federal sentencing guidelines are a recommendation, and that they do not preclude a stiffer sentence.
Gallison, a Democrat, represented Bristol for 16 years before abruptly resigning last May. Smith scheduled Gallison’s sentencing for June 16.
The former rep stepped into a waiting car and sped off without speaking with reporters following his court appearance. He remains free until his sentencing, pending the terms of his plea agreement.
