18 Months, $178K Restitution For Santos Treasurer Nancy Marks: Memo

LONG ISLAND, NY — Eighteen months in prison has been recommended for a former campaign treasurer, prosecutors describe as a Republican powerhouse, who helped ousted Long Island congressman George Santos file fraudulent finance reports, court records show.

The federal government's probation department has calculated the sentencing advisory guidelines for Nancy Marks, of Shirley, range 18 to 24 months and officials have recommended a principal sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment, together with restitution in the total amount of $178,402.97, according to a memorandum filed by prosecutors on Thursday.

"For the following reasons, the government respectfully concurs in Probation’s recommendation that an 18-month custodial sentence plus restitution would be sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to achieve the goals of sentencing in this case," the letter continues.

In their decision, prosecutors say that the court must also consider Marks’s history and characteristics, and "the government acknowledges both that Marks has no criminal history and that she has experienced personal hardship in her family life."

"But those experiences must be weighed among the totality of circumstances, including and especially that Marks has, for most of her adult life, enjoyed a privileged status as a political operative and business owner," the memo reads. "That she jeopardized everything by resorting to criminality at all — let alone in service of a disgraceful politician like Santos — is cause for extreme concern and cannot be easily explained away by reference to personal tragedy."

To be sure, the [prosecutor] notes that, during her pre-sentence interview, Marks “described a great childhood in which her basic needs were always met," the memo continues. "She reported no abuse of any kind.”

Her defense attorney, Ray Perini of Islandia, told Newsday he has not read the memo yet, though he intends to, "but the fact that they’re recommending a sentence at the bottom of the guidelines is a good thing.”

He filed his own sentencing memo Thursday under seal, according to the outlet.

Patch has reached out to Perini for comment.

Marks has admitted to helping Santos file bogus campaign finance reports.

George Santos was sentenced on April 25 to 87 months in prison.