Former District Attorney Tom Spota and his former aide Christopher McPartland are facing 57 to 71 months in prison when they are sentenced Tuesday.

That was the ruling from Judge Joan Azrack after attorneys for both men appealed for less time.

The document filed in court late Wednesday seals the sentencing fate for Spota and McPartland.

"These enhancements are significant," says professor Richard Klein, of Touro Law. "It almost doubles the amount of time the defendants will serve."

As News 12 has reported, both Spota and McPartlandt were found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and witness tampering for the cover-up for former police chief James Burke in the beating of a suspect in 2012. The two were found guilty in December 2019. During the trial, the government's key witness was James Hickey, a retired Suffolk police lieutenant.

In her ruling, Azrack acknowledged Hickey was the only witness at trial with direct knowledge of the substance of those conversations, finding Hickey's testimony to be credible and reliable.

Defense attorneys for Spota and McPartland objected to the enhanced sentencing guidelines, arguing it was Burke who orchestrated the cover-up.