Ex-US immigration official sentenced to prison

DETROIT (AP) - A former senior U.S. immigration official who took bribes in exchange for releasing illegal immigrants from detention and other favors has been sentenced to three years, one months in prison.

The government requested a lesser sentence of two years in prison, citing Roy Bailey's cooperation with the investigation of an as-yet-unnamed senior government official.

Defense attorney Michael Starr sought a sentence of 14 months.

But U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook Jr. Cook imposed the maximum under the federal sentencing guidelines Monday, saying the integrity of law enforcement and the U.S. immigration system had been undermined by Bailey's corruption.

"Mr. Bailey held extremely high-ranking decision-making positions in his agency," Cook said from the bench in federal court in Detroit. "Rather than uphold the high ethical standard we expect of him, he repeatedly used and abused his positions."

Bailey, 55, also must pay a $30,000 fine and will be on supervised release for two years after completing his prison time. He must report to prison by June 15.

Also sentenced Monday was Antonio Ivezaj, 38, of Milford. The native of Naples, Italy, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for doing free construction work on Bailey's Romulus home in exchange for Bailey releasing Ivezaj's cousin, who was in custody.

Between 1999 and 2004, when he was placed on leave and later retired, Bailey was the senior official in Detroit supervising the detention and transportation of illegal immigrants for ICE and its predecessor agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Bailey admitted accepting gifts from restaurant owners, attorneys and others during that time, including $5,000 in free meals, $5,000 in casino chips and $500 worth of jewelry, alcohol and clothing.

In return, he granted favors including delaying deportation proceedings, releasing prisoners and helping illegal immigrants remain in the United States.

Prosecutors say one man he helped release later was convicted of murder.