Gerard Terry was sentenced last week by a U.S. District Court judge sentenced to three years in prison, plus three years probation, all on tax evasion charges.
Terry, former chairman of the Town North Hempstead Democratic Party, was also ordered to pay $992,057 in restitution. Federal prosecutors, published reports said, would continue investigating the $1.4 million total owed by Terry.
In addition, Terry, last Monday, was sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation on New York State fraud charges. He must also pay $250,000 in fines. Terry will serve the sentences consecutively.
In October 2017, Terry pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges. In return, federal prosecutors dropped an obstruction charge. Federal prosecutors had wanted a sentence of four-and-a-half years. In court, they claimed that Terry had indulged in tax evasion for a 15-year period.
Terry, as noted, was a powerful figure in Nassau County Democratic Party politics. And so, he had his supporters, up to 100 of them who signed a letter to Judge Joanna Seybert, one that praised his volunteer service to the North Hempstead community. Among those signing was New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi (D–Glen Cove) and Jon Kaiman, Nassau Interim Finance Authority Chairman (NIFA).
Terry currently is being placed at the Nassau County Correctional Facility in East Meadow. Recently, the Manhasset Press reported that Terry was observed practicing law in the Landlord/Tenant section of the Nassau County courthouse, an act which led to his incarnation.
