To no one’s surprise except perhaps the defendant, a federal judge in San Francisco has sentenced Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow to life in prison.
The reputed Chinatown gang leader who says he turned his life around and maintains his innocence is part of a corruption probe that also netted State Senator Leland Yee and former school board president Keith Jackson.
Chow was convicted of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder. Jackson and State Senator Yee both pleaded guilty to racketeering last summer. Yee was sentenced to five years in prison and Jackson received nine years.
ABC7 reported the judge pointed to undercover recordings of Chow backed up by several witnesses as the most powerful evidence in the case.
The defendant pleaded for leniency prior to the sentence declaring the government had the wrong man.
“I’m not apologizing to the victim. I feel sorry for them because they didn’t get the right guy.”
He also said his own defense, famed attorney Tony Serra let him down and failed to do his job.
Chow plans to appeal.
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