Skelos to stay free amid his appeal

Disgraced former state Sen. Dean Skelos will be able to stay out of prison pending an appeal of his corruption convictions, a Manhattan judge ruled on Thursday.

Skelos and son his son, Adam, are seeking a new trial thanks to a US Supreme Court ruling in June that overturned Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s conviction, also on corruption charges.

Manhattan federal Judge Kimba Wood wrote that she’ll let the Long Island father and son stay out on bail because they’ve “shown that their appeals present a substantial questioning regarding whether this court’s jury instructions were erroneous in light of the United States Supreme Court’s holding in McDonnell v. United States.”

Wood also noted that the Skeloses don’t present a flight risk and are not a danger to the community.

Dean Skelos, 68, was found guilty of abusing his political office in order to pressure others into giving Adam cash and no-show jobs.

The Rockville Centre, LI, Republican was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $500,000, while Adam, 33, was slapped with 6¹/2 years behind bars.

The two men will remain free on bail — potentially for months — until the Second Circuit US Court of Appeals makes its decision in their case.

Lawyers for the Skeloses and the US Attorney’s Office did not return messages.