Man Sentenced For NJ Immigration Bribe Attempt

A Colombian national who tried to bribe a New Jersey immigration agent in an attempt to get a residency card has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says Byron Zabala also must serve two years of supervised release once he's freed from prison.

Zabala's application was rejected in March 2011. A few months later, he e-mailed an immigration agent using the agent's Department of Homeland Security address and stated he would pay $10,000 for a reversal of the residency card decision.

He later promised up to $30,000, and gave $15,000 to an undercover officer at a Newark restaurant last summer.

As part of his sentence, Zabala will forfeit the $30,000.