A federal judge on Tuesday delayed fraud sentencing for former Jacksonville City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown by about seven weeks so a newly hired attorney could get ready.
U.S. Magistrate James Klindt’s order moved the sentencing date from March 30 to May 19 in response to defense attorney Alan Ceballos’ plea for time last week, a day after Reggie Brown hired him.
Brown, who had been ruled indigent and represented by a court-appointed attorney, was convicted in October of 33 crimes dominated by wire and mail fraud. Katrina Brown was convicted of 37 crimes.
The Browns, who are not related, could both face significant prison sentences for convictions tied to payments to Reggie Brown’s companies from a federally backed small-business loan Katrina Brown’s family had taken out to build a never-completed barbecue sauce factory.
The judge ruled on the same day as a deadline for attorneys to file objections to material included in a pre-sentencing report that court staff prepare to summarize defendants’ backgrounds and the severity of the crimes they were convicted of.
Ceballos, who was hired Feb. 12, wasn’t formally recognized by the court as Reggie Brown’s attorney until Tuesday and said he needed 60 days to prepare objections and be ready to handle the case.
Klindt reset the deadline for objections to April 20.
Katrina Brown’s attorney, Curtis Fallgatter, had also been hired after the trial and said he needed time to communicate with Ceballos to properly represent his client.
Prosecutors argued against rescheduling sentencing, saying both defense lawyers worked for the politicians for more than a year before their 2018 indictment and should be able to be represent them without changing the sentencing date.
Steve Patterson: (904) 359-4263