NEWARK, N.J. -  Paul Bergrin, who once earned his living sending criminals to jail, will likely be following in their path.

On March 18, after a seven-week trial, a federal court jury in Newark, N.J., convicted the former prosecutor on 23 counts, most related to running his criminal defense practice in the city as a racketeering and illegal drug enterprise and serving as "house counsel" to a drug kingpin.