Federal Judge John Sedwick is right: Convicted bribers Bill Allen and Rick Smith don't deserve to stay out of prison much longer.
More than two years have passed since the two former Veco executives pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska legislators, yet neither has spent a night behind bars. They've been allowed to remain free as a reward for cooperating in prosecutions of the lawmakers they bribed and Ted Stevens.
More prosecutions could be in the works, so federal prosecutors have been in no rush to send Allen and Smith to jail. They have not filed charges against state Sen. Ben Stevens, whom Allen has admitted bribing.
Six times prosecutors have asked the judge to hold off sentencing the two men, and six times the judge agreed.
Enough, said the judge.
He's right. Two years of freedom is more than enough reward for their cooperation. During that time, two legislators they helped convict have gone off to prison and been released.
It's true the feds could use more time to close out the Alaska corruption investigation. The cases are complicated, especially if prosecutors don't catch the perps on tape. And right now, the federal investigation is in disarray. Cases have crumbled because prosecutors failed to share essential evidence with the defense.
But that's no excuse for letting a couple of convicted witnesses roam free indefinitely, avoiding the consequences for their admittedly corrupt behavior.
Finally sentencing Allen and Smith won't shut down the investigation -- nor should it. They can be brought in from prison to testify in a future case if necessary.
In any event, continued freedom isn't a proper bargaining chip for getting their continued cooperation. The two shouldn't need any additional reward to testify truthfully in a new trial. But if they do, the judge has up to a year in which he can reduce the length of their prison terms in return for their help.
Judge Sedwick is giving prosecutors one last chance to show why Allen and Smith should remain free -- and it sounds like he's going to set a pretty high bar. If prosecutors can't clear it, he will sentence the two on Oct. 28.
About time.
BOTTOM LINE: Two years' freedom is plenty reward for cooperation.