TRENTON — A contrite Marcellus Jackson pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges Tuesday and then announced his resignation from the Passaic City Council.
On the steps of the federal building with his lawyer, he said misty-eyed, “I accept full responsibility in what I’ve done today. I dearly apologize and I am going to pay the price, and then move onto the next chapter of my life.”
Jackson, 38, pled guilty to one count of obstruction of interstate commerce by extortion, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Jackson’s attorney, Miles Feinstein, said that the sentencing guidelines for his conduct are in the range of 42 months. Feinstein said he will ask the judge to go lower than the guidelines because of the plea agreement and his remorse.
“It is a sad day that a person who gave so much of himself to the city, and the community is in court for something like this. It’s tragic for himself, his family and his citizenry.” NorthJersey.com
Councilman Marcellus Jackson admits that he took $26,000 in bribes from an undercover agents posing as members of an insurance brokerage. Jackson says he took the money in return for helping steer city contracts to the company.
Passaic - Bergen Jewish News 
How much did he do for our city? I mean besides line his pockets with green. Amazing how a politician and deacon could be corrupted for such a pittance. He is a disgrace! He shoud beg the citizens of Passaic for forgiveness. Oh, by the way, please don’t return. We have enough ex convicts in our town.
this guy had a cocaine conviction and will most likely be sentenced harshly. He will give up a political job at the sewarge authority where he would be due for a raise that would have increased his salary to almost 100K per year, plus his city council salary of 25K and his deacon salary. This guy made a big mistake. I am not really sure what he did for Passaic. Did he coach basketball? serve on the board of the Boys’ club, Salvation Army or the Y, the red cross? How did he volunteer and serve Passaic? ‘Why is it that the idiots of the Herald News fail to report his past conviction?
Passaic is so corrupted if you look for corrupt in the dictionary you will see Passaic next to it
Many of you should realize, before you pass judgement, that no one can throw stones at anyone else. First of all, you’re basing your comments solely off of what you’ve read and NOT witnessed. As a firsthand witness, I will tell you that many people who you probably speak to and live around were able to find jobs by seeking help from Jackson. As for shlomo, all the organizations you named were financially supported in some way by Jackson, what did you do? Furthermore, I’m guessing the Herald News failed to report a drug conviction they same way no one is reporting Passaic Councilman’s Schaer’s love for **** ****! Comment Edited By Moderator 003
Also deacons don’t get paid. They are servants. Stop moaning just because a black man was able to work, make good money and provide for his family. The real shame is how the FBI can set up operations seeking “only” minorities. What Jackson did, whites and jews have been doing for years and years and years and years and years….and guess what?..they’re still doing it!
First of all you are wrong. Look at the history of passaic. Lipari is white and is got caught so does say if he was white or jewish he would not have been set up, don’t make this a race thing. I could say what I like because when I applied for the passaic board of ed twice I did not get a call from no one but yet someone I know that is related to someone in city hall got hired. I also applied and passed the exam for the police position in passaic at the same time the mayor’s son and no education having daughter got hired and I was disqualified along with more qualified candidates. I had all the paperwork I.A asked for and look at what happened. Don’t sit there and tell me that he’s innocent, he’s just like the rest of the politicians in new jersey (corrupt)
Jam you all, he is a thief. No matter what. Self admitted at that! He could have been an honorable man but he’s not. The booby caught in the trap. His integrity was tested and he failed misearably. This is dis organized crime. The FBI obviously got the right guy. If you are not doing anything wrong you shouldn’t mind being checked out. If you are doing wrong you should be checked out.
Get your head out of your rearend.
Shallow is the word that comes to mind when i read all of your comments. you really need to research your stuff njems1 because then you would find that this particular operation was set up to trap minorities. Maybe not when Lipari was in office but this particular operation was specifically for the “low-income cities” and blacks were the target! The only reason they got Soto, a hispanic, is because they had no other way to get to Jackson as he had already brushed off their many attempts
njems1-i don’t doubt for one bit that you were not passed over for a position at the board or on the police force; my family member suffered the same way
a tax payer- i would rather keep my head in my rearend so that i would not have to read ignorant and empty comments with no basis like yours. Jackson was approached on numerous occassions with no good deals and refused many…but because the FBI was intent on catching Jackson, the only black on the council, they were relentless at trying to make him dishonorable. Let me educate you on something…the FBI can make Jesus look guilty if they want to and if he doesn’t have the funds to clear his name, not even GOD will be able to save him, and he too would have no choice but to falsely admit to something he did not do. Don’t get me wrong I’m not comparing Jackson to Jesus not by far. But let me ask you this….how is it that Christopher Christie, the US attorney general, just got away with giving his ex-box, John Ashcroft, a $52 million no-bid contract…WOW …any comments??
john ashcroft did not pay any bribes for his contract, it’s a big difference.
and, where was everyone when the white republians in Monmouth County were arrested last year? any cries of discrimination? seems those arrested in that lot were white and republian. Were they set up? No, just greedy like the passaic politicians.
and i think you are confusing business with kickbacks. if they would have used their own money instead of the taxpayers’ money then they would not have been arrested.. And what did mr. jackson mean when he said “good times is coming”? Good times for him or for the citizien’s of passaic.
many people are disappointed with mr. jackson, he was a nice and cordial man and could have earned a great income from his political job at the Passaic Valley Sewage Authority and from a councilman. With both jobs he was making more than 101K. and was due for a raise at the pvsa.
like all comment sites, there are stupid folks and smart ones…. THINK before you type
In Regards to Chris Christie
Justice Dept. backs Christie in Ashcroft deal
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Justice_Dept_defends_Chris_Christie.html
Chris Christie also appointed a federal monitor to oversee the corruption of UMDNJ.
that’s the way it goes. you should be happy that Christie did something, what did his predecessors do? Nothing.