Scarpelli prepares to head to federal prison Former mayor will probably serve most of his 18-month sentence BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer Former four-term Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli will report to federal prison in a few days, on Jan. 28, to begin serving his 18-month sentence on corruption charges. But just which federal prison was still not known by press time on Monday. Scarpelli still had not been informed at the beginning of the week where he would be spending the next year and a half, his attorney, Michael T. Nolan Jr., of the Brick Township firm of Kelly, Nolan & White, said. "I can't believe this is how they operate," Nolan said. "Here we are not even seven days away and he doesn't know where he is going to go." There are two federal prisons in New Jersey. U.S. District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton said at Scarpelli's Dec. 17 sentencing that she would recommend that the 68-year-old former mayor be allowed to serve his time at the federal prison in Fort Dix. "Obviously we want him to go to an institution in the state," Nolan said. "We specifically asked the judge to make that recommenda- tion. Contrary to her usual policy, she did make a recommendation that he go to Fort Dix." Wigenton sentenced the longtime Democratic mayor to 18 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine on Dec. 17 in federal court in Newark. Scarpelli pleaded guilty on Jan. 8, 2007, to one count of accepting and agreeing to accept cash payments in exchange for official action. He admitted he took at least $5,000 in bribes from an unnamed developer between 1998 and 2003. Authorities have not released the developer's name. The Fort Dix prison facility is a low-security facility that houses male inmates. A satellite camp is located next to the prison and also houses minimum-security male inmates. The Fort Dix facility is about 30 miles from the Jersey Shore, according to the Bureau of PrisonsWeb site. There is one other federal prison in New Jersey, in Fairton, which is located in rural south central New Jersey, about 40 miles west of Atlantic City. The Fairton correctional institution is a medium-security facility for male offenders. It also has a satellite prison camp that houses minimum security male offenders, the Web site states. "I don't know why the Bureau of Prisons wouldn't follow the recommendation, unless there was a logistical issue, meaning they didn't have room for him," Nolan said. "A federal judge can make a recommendation, but it's not binding. It's up to the Bureau of Prisons." Scarpelli has been free on $50,000 bail since his sentencing late last month. Chances are he will serve the entire 18 months, since parole has been abolished in the federal system. Scarpelli could have received up to 30 months in prison, Nolan has said. The former mayor this week declined requests for an interview. He wrote a letter to the court when he was sentenced, and apologized to the people of Brick Township and his family. The judge declined to release the letter, Nolan said.