longtime top mayoral aide, Melvin Ramos, were indicted by a federal grand jury for six counts of mail fraud, one count of misapplication of funds, two counts of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission, one count of making false statements to federal agents, and one count of making contributions to a federal candidate in the name of others. The indictment charges that Vas bought a 12-unit apartment building on DeKalb Avenue in December 2005 for $660,000, well below its assessed value of $955,000. Five months later Vas allegedly "flipped" the property for $950,000, inducing a contractor to buy it by promising public money – including Regional Contribution Agreement (RCA) funds to help pay for the building’s renovation. He then allegedly instructed city employees to submit a resolution to the council that would provide $360,000 in RCA funds for the property. It was approved in June 2006. Even before COAH approved the payment, Vas allegedly jumped through bureaucratic hoops to make sure the contractor got a $90,000 advance on the funds. On January 11, 2007, according to the indictment, Vas coerced the city’s Assistant Personnel Officer to approve that advance, naming him Acting Business Administrator so he would have the authority to do so. On May 21, 2009, Vas, Ramos, and others were again indicted by a state grand jury, this time on nineteen counts including official misconduct and conspiracy. On April 12, 2011, Vas was sentenced in federal court to a six-and-a-half year prison term on his corruption conviction. He began serving his sentence in June 2011 at the Federal Correctional Institution, Elkton in Ohio. References External links , New Jersey Legislature New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms 2007 2006 2005 2004 Assembly Member Joseph Vas, Project Vote Smart |- 1955 births Hispanic and Latino American mayors in New Jersey Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in New Jersey Living people Mayors of Perth Amboy, New Jersey Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly New Jersey politicians convicted of crimes 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians