NEW YORK (WABC) -- A federal judge in New York on Wednesday sentenced a tearful former United States Senator Robert Menendez to 11 years in prison for taking bribes of gold bars, a luxury car and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and for acting as an agent of Egypt while he served as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"You stood at the apex of our political system," Judge Sidney Stein said. "Somewhere along the way, you lost your way."
Stein said the disgraced politician lost it all: "Your Senate seat and your good name. You've become a national punchline."
A "chastened" Menendez sat at the defense table in a suit and tie with hands folded across his stomach before he stood at his seat to address the judge.
"Your honor, you have before you a chastened man," Menendez said as his voice began to break. "We sat in this court room for nine weeks, but you really don't know me."
Menendez introduced himself as the son of Cuban immigrants and explained his political biography, occasionally sniffling and choking up while reading from a prepared statement with hands stuffed in his pockets.
"This is who I truly am, judge. A man devoted to service," Menendez said, becoming emotional as he spoke of family and of constituents he helped. "I have lost everything I have cared about. For someone who spent a life in public service, every day is a punishment."
The once-powerful Democrat is "now known more widely as Gold Bar Bob," according to his lawyer, who adjusted the defense request for leniency following the imposition of lengthy prison sentences for Menendez's codefendants.
"The good outweighs the bad in the arc of Bob's life," defense attorney Adam Fee told the judge. "We would ask the court to sentence Bob to no more than eight years in prison."
Menendez previously sought a sentence of no more than two years in prison, citing his "extraordinary public service," but earlier Wednesday the two New Jersey businessmen convicted of paying the bribes were sentenced perhaps more harshly than the defense anticipated.
Fred Daibes, whose fingerprints were found on cash-stuffed envelopes given to Menendez, received a seven-year prison sentence. Wael Hana, who was linked to some of the gold bars found in Menendez's possession, received an eight-year prison sentence.
Menendez even suggested an eight-year sentence, based on the sentences of Daibes and Hana.
Menendez became the first U.S. senator to be convicted of acting as an agent of a foreign government. Federal prosecutors described his conduct as perhaps "the most serious for which a U.S. senator has been convicted in the history of the republic." He resigned in August. Prosecutors said he brought "dishonor" to the Senate.
"The offense conduct reflects a truly grave breach of the trust placed in Menendez by his fellow senators, by the people of New Jersey," prosecutor Paul Monteleoni said. "There are not many people who had power on the scale of Menendez." Monteleoni had asked for 15 years in prison, arguing Menendez "believed that the power he wielded belonged to him."
Menendez took bribes in exchange for trying to interfere on behalf of the businessmen in state and federal investigations and for helping the governments of Qatar and Egypt.
"You became a corrupt politician," Stein said as he ticked off the spoils of the corruption: the gold bars, the cash, the convertible. "When there's wrongdoing of this magnitude there are serious consequences."
Before the sentence was imposed, the defense asked the court to stay the prison term while he appeals, arguing "a septuagenarian who devoted a half-century to public service should not be rushed to prison" before an appeals court decides "significant legal issues" raised in the case.
The prosecution ended a political career that started fighting corruption when Menendez testified in 1982 against his mentor, William Musto, who was then the mayor of Union City, New Jersey. Menendez later served as the town's mayor before serving in the U.S. House and Senate.
"The fact that he was a public office holder who held a position of great public trust has to be taken into account," Stein said as he explained how he calculated the sentence.
No fine was imposed on Menendez because, as the judge noted, he does not have the resources of co-defendants Daibes and Hana.
A completely different Menendez spoke outside court, maintaining his innocence, vowing to appeal, and blasting "a political witch hunt" and federal prosecutors like recently departed U.S. Attorney Damien Williams, who he said is "more interested in political scalps and preparing to run for public office."
The life-long Democrat, who would be eligible for a Trump pardon, said, "President Trump is right. This process is political, and it's corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system."
Menendez will not have to report to prison until June 6, to be available during his wife's trial, currently scheduled to start March 18.
It is unknown where he will serve his time, but a sentence of 10 years or more precludes him from serving at a minimum-security federal prison.
Gov. Phil Murphy released the following statement:
"Today marks the sad end to a long and largely productive career in public service. Senator Menendez accomplished many things on behalf of our state and our residents, but sadly he will be remembered for putting his own interests and financial gain ahead of the public interest. At a time when our country is deeply divided, it is critical that we hold our elected leaders to the highest professional and ethical standards. I want to thank the prosecutors, law enforcement officials, attorneys, judges, and jurors for ensuring that the rule of law was upheld."
ABC News contributed to this report.
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