U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and her chief of staff Ronnie Simmons now have new attorneys, but it didn’t come without some confusion on Tuesday.
Brown and Simmons face 24 counts between them in a federal indictment for mail and wire fraud, conspiracy obstruction and filing false tax returns.
Brown and Simmons are scheduled to go on trial in October but during a status hearing in federal court Tuesday afternoon, there was talk of a bench warrant when Simmons didn’t appear.
Action News Jax was in federal court on Tuesday for a second hearing that happened because Simmons didn’t show up for his original 3 p.m. court appearance.
That hearing actually started about 20 minutes late because of Simmons not showing up. Court was reconvened at 4:30 and then we learned there had been what appeared to be miscommunication between Simmons and his new attorney, Anthony Suarez from Orlando.
Trending on ActionNewsJax.com:
- Good Samaritan who helped gunshot victim must pay $2,500
- Parents outraged about school library books with explicit content
- Vandals spray paint a dozen cars, homes in Orange Park
- 8-month-old baby dies after beating with a belt
- Family says staff left grandmother behind in dialysis clinic
Earlier, when Simmons first didn’t show up, prosecutors talked about the possibility of a bench warrant.
Judge Timothy Corrigan seemed hesitant to issue the warrant and decided to recess for about an hour while they tried to contact the rumored attorney, Suarez; he seemed to think it could have been miscommunication.
If that was unsuccessful, Corrigan said he was going to speak to U.S. Marshals about potential of warrant.
Several hours before court, we learned Rep. Corrine Brown did not need to appear and is now being represented by two new attorneys from Orlando, Mark NeJame and David Haas of Nejame Law.
Brown and Simmons are accused of using phony charity One Door for Education as a personal slush fund.
On July 6, a federal grand jury returned a 24-count indictment, naming Brown in 22 counts and Simmons in 19 counts.
Both have pleaded not guilty.
The next court hearing is set for August 24 at 11 a.m.
If convicted of all counts, Brown will face a maximum of 357 years in prison and nearly $5 million in fines.
Simmons faces a maximum of 355 years in prison and nearly $5 million in fines if he’s convicted of all counts.
Cox Media Group
