Dean Skelos, “the once powerful Republican majority leader of the New York State Senate who was convicted with his son in December on federal corruption charges, was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday,” the New York Times reports.

“The sentencing of Mr. Skelos is the second instance in 10 days in which a former senior New York lawmaker was sent to prison for abusing his office. It concludes an extraordinary chapter during which two trials held a block apart at almost the same time last year exposed a culture of kickbacks, secret deals and nepotism in the State Capital in Albany.”

Dean Skelos, “the former majority leader of the New York Senate, and his son were found guilty of federal corruption charges on Friday, a quick and devastating follow-up punch to the Capitol in Albany, which has now seen two entrenched leaders convicted and removed from office,” the New York Times reports.

“Skelos had been one of the three most powerful men in state government until his arrest earlier this year, and his conviction close on the heels of his former colleague, the longtime Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, is sure to have repercussions beyond the courtroom.”

Dean Skelos (R), the leader of the New York State Senate, and his son “were arrested on Monday morning by federal authorities on corruption charges,” the New York Times reports.

“The charges against them were detailed in a six-count criminal complaint filed in United States District Court in Manhattan and include conspiracy, extortion under the color of official right, honest services wire fraud and bribe solicitation.”