In his Newark bribery case being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, former Hoboken Assemblyman Carmelo Garcia has been granted his fourth continuance of 2023.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“(1) Taking into account the exercise of diligence, the facts of this case require that defense counsel be permitted a reasonable amount of additional time for effective preparation in this matter,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Cox Arleo wrote in a November 30th order of continuance.
“(2) The grant of a continuance will likely conserve judicial resources; (3) Plea negotiations are ongoing, and the parties desire additional time to negotiate a plea agreement, which would render any grand jury proceedings and any subsequent trial of this matter unnecessary.”
Garcia has received nine continuances since 2022 and his case has been delayed over a dozen times overall, at least in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also the also the former director of the Newark Department of Economic and Housing Development, he was first accused by federal prosecutors of soliciting corrupt payments in exchange for helping businessmen acquire and redevelop properties back in November 2020.
He was indicted 11 months later, charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the city of Newark and the NCEDC of Garcia’s honest services facilitated by the use of interstate wire transmissions; 17 counts of honest services wire fraud; and four counts of use of interstate facilities to promote and facilitate bribery in violation of the Travel Act.
Two Newark businessmen face the same charges, while Garcia is also accused of three counts of receiving bribes in connection with the business of a federally funded local government and organization.
He pleaded not guilty in November 2021 and has since participated in motivational speaker gigs, as only HCV reported.
Garcia is being represented by Robert G. Stahl and Laura K. Gasiorowski, of Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers, with offices in Westfield and New York City.
A former housing authority executive director in Hoboken and Irvington, Garcia served a two-year term as a state assemblyman between 2014 and 2015 after running on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line in 2013.
He choose not to seek re-election off the line and instead unsuccessfully sought the Hoboken 6th Ward council seat in November 2015.
He must be talking up a storm
SKETCHY