Plea hearing rescheduled for former state attorney accused of taking nearly $1M from estate of dead man

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The previous state lawyer for Florida’s Center District, who’s been indicted on 12 federal costs, appeared in courtroom Thursday for a scheduled plea listening to.

Jeff Siegmeister is accused of soliciting and accepting bribes in return for lenient remedy and stealing practically $1 million from an aged man, all whereas he was the highest prosecutor for seven counties. He faces a long time in jail, if convicted.

The choose on Thursday determined to reschedule the listening to for subsequent week to offer prosecutors time to appropriate errors in a courtroom submitting, saying he was shocked to see that in a case similar to this.

Siegmeister was elected as state lawyer for the third circuit in 2013, which covers the central a part of North Florida, together with Columbia County.

Federal prosecutors say he took bribes in alternate for favorable remedy in courtroom, alleging a number of cases the place defendants have been extorted.

As well as, prosecutors say, earlier than Siegmeister grew to become state lawyer, the courtroom appointed him because the authorized guardian of an aged Columbia County man with psychological deficiencies who additionally owned practically 1,000,000 {dollars} in Coca-Cola inventory.

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Then, prosecutors say, he diverted that man’s property to himself and his member of the family.

Siegmeister’s plea listening to has been moved to Monday afternoon.