Assemblymember Boyland convicted on multiple charges

Brooklyn Assemblymember William F. Boyland, Jr. has been convicted of 21 felony counts of bribery, conspiracy, extortion, wire fraud and theft.

These are all criminal offenses that he was found by a jury to have committed against elderly constituents and the State of New York by directly exploiting his position as representative of the 55^th Assembly District in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Bushwick, Crown Heights and Ocean Hill.

The conviction came in federal court on Thursday, March 6 and resulted in immediate expulsion from the Assembly. He faces up to 20 years each on the extortion, wire fraud and extortion-related conspiracy counts, and up to 10 years each on the bribery and theft counts, and up to five years each on the remaining conspiracy counts. Sentencing is scheduled for June 30.

Boyland also faces at least $250,000 in fines on each of the 21 counts, as well as criminal forfeiture and mandatory restitution.

“The breadth and pervasiveness of the corruption exposed by this prosecution is staggering. Wherever there was an opportunity for William Boyland to corruptly line his own pockets, he took it,” said Loretta E. Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District. “By soliciting bribes, by stealing funds intended to help the elderly, and by defrauding New York State and the Assembly, Boyland cravenly pursued his own interest at the expense of his constituents. . .Today’s verdict ensures that Boyland will be held accountable for his corrupt actions.”

The charges were supported by evidence collected between January, 2007 and December, 2011. These included false travel vouchers and extorted and accepted bribes on behalf of businessmen and undercover FBI agents.

Boyland was previously acquitted of bribery charges in a 2011 case that resulted in the conviction of then-State Senator Carl Kruger. He is a member of a Brooklyn political dynasty that began with his uncle, former Assemblymember Thomas Boyland, and continued with his father, former Assemblymember William F. Boyland, Sr. Boyland’s sister Tracy is a former councilmember.

Boyland’s expulsion represents the fourth vacancy in Brooklyn’s delegation to the state Assembly, and the 12^th overall in the state Legislature, with 10 vacancies in the Assembly and two in the State Senate.