'And He Loves Small Children...'

Former Brocade CEO Greg Reyes, facing up to 20 years in prison after his conviction for fraud earlier this year, is still rallying supporters to his cause.

A report in the San Jose Mercury News news this week revealed that Reyes has received some 300 letters of support asking for clemency from U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer.

The one-time Brocade supremo, currently awaiting sentencing, even received a letter of support from someone who knows a thing or two about this type of situation: Wall Street technology guru Frank Quattrone. The former Credit Suisse investment banker was himself at the center of a major government probe into alleged financial misdealings a few years ago, although charges were later dropped. (Quattrone apparently received more than 400 letters of support.)

Clearly, there are still plenty of people out there who feel that Greg Reyes has been dealt a tough hand by the U.S. legal system.

In a Byte and Switch poll earlier this year, for example, only 42 percent of more than 200 respondents felt Reyes' conviction was entirely justified. A slightly higher percentage (44 percent) felt that although Reyes was in the wrong, the maximum sentence of 20 years would be an overreaction.Without the benefit of a crystal ball, it is difficult to predict the fate of the former Brocade exec.

Even former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers racked up 170 letters of support prior to his sentencing for securities fraud, conspiracy, and making false filings with the SEC. Not that this cut much ice with the judge; Ebbers is now serving 25 years in prison.

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