Federal prosecutors say former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers should receive a “substantial” prison sentence when she appears Wednesday before a federal judge in Detroit.

In a sentencing memorandum unsealed today, federal prosecutors don’t specify how much prison time they think Conyers should get. But they say her sentencing guidelines would be in the range of 46-57 months if she was held accountable not just for the bribes she admitted taking in connection with a city sewage sludge contract, but for $69,500 in payments she and her former chief of staff, Sam Riddle, received from various business people with matters before the Detroit City Council or the city pension fund.

Sentencing guidelines are advisory only. U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn is to sentence Conyers.

The pattern of abuse of office and self-enrichment highlighted during that (Riddle) trial confirms that Synagro was not an isolated or anomalous incident,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Bullotta and Mark Chutkow said in a sentencing memorandum.

“Consequently, the court should consider this additional misconduct in fashioning an appropriate sentence for Conyers.”

Conyers pleaded guilty last June to taking at least $6,000 in bribes in connection with the $1.2 billion contract the Detroit City Council awarded to Synagro Technologies Inc. of Texas in 2007, with Conyers casting the deciding vote.

Conyers’ attorney, Steve Fishman, has said he will argue Conyers should not go to prison.

From The Detroit News: