Corruption charges over the past decades have resulted in the federal convictions of two mayors, seven councilman and other public officials.

Recent federal convictions involved top officials; the Paterson operation focused on small fry.

In October, the attorney general's report says, the association changed some teller practices "in the face of mounting state and federal criminal convictions."

He is already serving nine years in prison for a federal conviction last year on separate money laundering and racketeering charges.

Best to keep the federal mail-tampering convictions to a minimum.

Judge Young said that about 97 percent of federal criminal convictions nationwide were the result of plea bargains.

Monday's federal conviction was Mr. Brennan's second time on the other side of the law.

In January 1993, a federal conviction followed, on 73 counts of fraud, racketeering and conspiracy.

The fine for the federal conviction could run as high as $2.25 million.

His previous federal conviction, in 1997, had been overturned when an appeals court found judicial error in the trial.