Though the so-called Bonusgate prosecutions of Veon, the former House Democratic whip, and a handful of his top aides are coming to a close, months if not years of corruption trials may follow against current and former legislators swept up in Attorney General Tom Corbett's long-running probe.
The stiff sentence of six to 14 years imposed Friday on Veon, once among the most powerful Democrats in the House, sent a message, as prosecutors like to say.
The message was that Pennsylvania politicians caught abusing the public trust may be given a lot of time to think about their crimes - behind bars.
"This is what you have when people get caught using taxpayer money" for illegal purposes, Senior Deputy Attorney General E. Marc Costanzo told reporters after Veon's sentencing. "It's a crime, and we're not going to tolerate it."
In the Bonusgate case, Veon was among a dozen people associated with the House Democratic caucus to be charged in 2008 with participating in an elaborate scheme to use state workers to help win political campaigns.
Some of those workers were awarded generous bonuses for that campaign work - on the public dime.
Two of the 12 were acquitted; seven, all top aides, pleaded guilty in deals with prosecutors; and Veon and two of his senior aides were convicted.
Since that first set of charges, 13 other people - 10 Republicans and three Democrats - have been charged in Corbett's corruption probe.
The list includes Harrisburg celebrities from both parties: former House Speakers John M. Perzel (R., Phila.) and Bill DeWeese (D., Greene), both awaiting trial even as they seek reelection in November.
Perzel is accused of using taxpayer-funded computer programs worth millions of dollars to benefit Republican political campaigns.
DeWeese is charged with using state-paid legislative staff for Democrats' campaign chores.
