Martin G. Barnes, the first black mayor of Paterson and a felon who was sentenced to three years in jail after authorities learned that he had taken  between $200,000 to $350,000 in bribes from contractors, has passed away at the age of 64.

Mr Barnes is remembered by those who were close to him in the political circles in Paterson as someone who brought people of different race, creed, and political persuasion on to the same page.

During his mayoral reign from 1997 to 2002 he is most remembered for never raising the city’s property taxes, but it is the graft and bribery that is most associated with his name.

The cause of death has yet to be released.