Ex-state Rep. Jeff Habay sentenced to jail in fake anthrax case

Former state Rep. Jeff Habay was sentenced to four to eight months in jail followed by 14 months' house arrest after pleading no contest this morning to 21 charges, including theft and violations of the state Ethics Act.

Habay, 40, a Shaler Republican, sparked an anthrax scare by claiming a political foe mailed him white powder, which later turned out to be baking soda, and used his staff do campaign work on state time.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Lester G. Nauhaus sentenced Habay to serve his jail time concurrent to a six- to 12-month sentence for a conviction last year for conflict-of-interest violations. Habay is on house arrest pending an appeal of that conviction and will not start his sentence until that appeal is resolved.

Habay will lose his $850 monthly state pension, according to Assistant District Attorney Lawrence Klaus.

Habay declined comment after the hearing.

"A trial would have been a long, drawn-out affair, and rather than put his family through a two- to three-week trial, Mr. Habay decided to plead (no contest)," defense attorney Patrick Thomassey said.

Habay, wearing a blue suit, appeared in court with his wife, Nubia. He faced up to 86 years in prison if sentenced to the maximum on all charges.

He resigned from the Legislature on Feb. 8.