Noe guilty in federal case; ex-coin dealer admits laundering Bush contributions Sentence to be up to 30 months; prosecutor says he'll seek more By MIKE WILKINSON and JAMES DREW BLADE STAFF WRITERS More than two years after investigators began probing Tom Noeâs vaunted political fund-raising ability, he admitted yesterday that he used friends and colleagues to illegally pour thousands of dollars into the effort to re-elect President Bush. Noe, whose fund-raising acumen earned him star status as a Bush âPioneerâ and helped him secure coveted federal and state political appointments, pleaded guilty to all three felony counts he faced. Noe said he wanted to âspare my dear family and friends ... further embarrassment.â The 51-year-old is facing between 24 and 30 months in prison and a substantial fine according to federal sentencing guidelines, assistant U.S. Attorney John Pearson said. However, he said he would seek an even stiffer penalty because of the âpotential loss of public faithâ in the presidential election. full story here: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060601/NEWS02/606010468