Dave Denenberg, former Nassau County legislator, now in prison

Serving three-month sentence in New Jersey

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Former Nassau County Legislator David Denenberg began serving a three-month sentence at Fort Dix, a minimum-security prison in Burlington County, N.J., on Aug. 24, according to his attorney, Jason Russo, of Bay Shore.

Denenberg, of Merrick, was originally scheduled to start his sentence on Sept. 1, but asked to begin it early, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Denenberg, 51, pleaded guilty to defrauding a law client of $2.3 million and resigned his legislator’s post earlier this year. The fraud occurred while Denenberg was an attorney with the high-powered law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, LLP with offices in Garden City, New York City, Albany and Washington, D.C. The firm referred the case to the U.S. attorney’s office once the fraud was discovered.

Denenberg faced 41 to 51 months in prison, but in June U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced him to three months in prison and three months of home arrest, citing his years of community service as a legislator as the primary mitigating factor. He also paid back $872,000 to the computer company from which he stole, Systemax Inc. The sum was more than he netted in his fraud scheme. And Denenberg must complete three years of supervised release.

Before his sentencing, he had started a tax-consulting firm. What will become of it is uncertain.

Denenberg is “looking forward to doing his time quickly and coming home,” Russo said.