A former federal prosecutor who was charged with arranging the murder of a federal witness in a drug case will not face the death penalty if convicted, The Associated Press reported Sunday.

In May 2009, New Jersey defense attorney Paul Bergrin was arrested in connection with a 14-count racketeering indictment.  Bergrin is a former Essex County assistant prosecutor, the DOJ said. He was an assistant U.S. Attorney from 1985-1990.

The charges included arranging the murder of a witness. The case was brought in New Jersey by then-acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra, who is now the office’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Federal prosecutors say Bergrin used threats, bribes and murder to discourage witnesses from testifying. In addition, Bergrin passed the name of an informant to associates of a client in a drug case. The informant was fatally shot in Newark, N.J., in 2004.

The decision not to seek the death penalty in the case was made by Attorney General Eric Holder, according to the AP. The New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s office run by Paul Fishman did not comment on the decision.

Lawrence Lustberg, one of Bergrin’s attorneys, told the Asbury Park Press, “Obviously, he’s relieved.”

“He still recognizes that while the death penalty is off the table, his life is on the line. If he is convicted of a number of these allegations, he could spend the rest of his life in prison,” Lustberg added.

In an unrelated case in October 2009, Bergrin was sentenced to time served in connection with running a Manhattan brothel.

A former Assistant U.S. Attorney in New Jersey has been sentenced in connection with running a Manhattan brothel, The Associated Press reported. Although New Jersey defense attorney Paul Bergrin was sentenced to time served in the misdemeanor prostitution case, he will remain in jail as he awaits trial on charges of arranging the murder of a federal witness in a drug case, The AP reported.

In May, Bergrin was arrested in connection with a 14-count racketeering indictment.  The charges included arranging the murder of a witness. The case was brought in New Jersey by then-acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra, who is now the office’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney. Federal prosecutors say Bergrin used threats, bribes and murder to discourage witnesses from testifying, The AP reported. In addition, Bergrin passed the name of an informant to associates of a client in a drug case, The AP reported. The informant was fatally shot in Newark, N.J., in 2004.

Bergrin has pleaded not guilty. Bergrin, a former Essex County, N.J., county assistant prosecutor, served as an assistant U.S. Attorney between 1985 and 1990.

New Jersey defense attorney Paul Bergrin was arrested today in connection with a 14-count racketeering indictment. Among the charges is that Bergrin arranged the murder of a federal witness in a drug case, the Department of Justice announced. The case was brought by Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr., in New Jersey. Read the indictment here.

“The allegations in this indictment make Bergrin no different than a street gangster,” Gerard P. McAleer, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New Jersey, said in the DOJ news release.

 Bergrin, 53, of Nutley, is a former Essex County Assistant Prosecutor, the DOJ said. He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney between 1985 and 1990.

More from the news release:

“The conduct alleged is simply shocking,” Marra said.  “A licensed lawyer, a former prosecutor essentially became one of the criminals he represents, supporting, encouraging, indeed directing a criminal enterprise that engaged in murder and murder conspiracies, drug trafficking and financial fraud.  Bergrin can now expect to feel the full weight of the very legal system he turned on its head with his conduct.”