Philadelphia judge pleads guilty to fraud counts after FBI sting

By Jeffrey B. Roth (Reuters) - A Philadelphia municipal court judge pleaded guilty on Wednesday to wire fraud and mail fraud charges after a year-long FBI sting operation that caught him soliciting cash payments and seeking to influence pending cases. Prosecutors alleged that Joseph C. Waters Jr., a Democrat who was elected in 2009, contacted two other judges in an attempt to sway the outcome of a litigation involving a Philadelphia businessman, according to court documents. FBI investigators secretly recorded the calls. The wire fraud charge involved a fictitious gun-possession case. During the operation an unidentified witness paid Waters $1,000 under the guise of a campaign contribution, and Waters failed to report the money, court documents say. In Pennsylvania, cash contributions to political candidates are limited to $100 per donor. Michael J. Engle, who represents Waters, said his client pleaded guilty under a negotiated agreement that recommends a sentence of two years of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Waters, a former city police captain, is 61 years old. Judge Juan Sanchez of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is scheduled to sentence Waters on Jan. 22. “It is a non-cooperation plea agreement,” Engle said in an email. He said Waters refused to cooperate with the FBI in any ongoing investigation. After entering the plea, Waters resigned his position on the bench. (Reporting by Jeffrey Roth in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Writing by Frank McGurty; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)