Crime Watch

Denenberg case adjourned; attorneys say plea deal is in the works

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Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg, the Merrick Democrat accused by his former employer of over-billing a corporate client for millions of dollars, was expected to plead guilty to mail fraud charges in federal court on Dec. 11, according to a spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch.

He didn’t, however.

Instead, Denenberg asked for and received an adjournment of his case. His attorney, Jason Russo, said that his busy work schedule and the death of Denenberg's mother had left little time for the two to confer in recent weeks.

Denenberg is due before Judge Joanna Seybert in federal court in Central Islip on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Reinis Gatz and Russo, a plea deal is in the works. Reinis Gatz told reporters that the government offered Denenberg a plea deal, which he had agreed to, at least in principle.

Russo, meanwhile, said plea negotiations were “ongoing.” When asked why the U.S. Attorney’s Office would say that a guilty plea was expected, Russo responded that the government had made an “acceptable” plea offer.

Russo said that Denenberg had made full restitution. He would not say how much Denenberg had paid back because he was bound by a confidentiality agreement.

Denenberg spoke with reporters outside of court. “I do want to thank my family, friends and supporters for the outpouring of support and love,” he said. “I’m sorry that they’re going through this.”

Denenberg faces eight counts of mail fraud. Sentencing guidelines in a case such as this call for 41 to 51 months in prison, with a maximum sentence of up to 20 years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson whom the Herald spoke with earlier on Thursday. Denenberg, though, could face a lesser sentence, depending on the terms of any plea deal that he might make.

Christina Brennan, spokeswoman for the Nassau County Legislature’s Republican majority, said that if a county legislator were convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony, he or she would automatically cease to hold office under New York’s public officers law. Brennan said that Norma Gonsalves, the Legislature’s presiding officer, declined to comment on Denenberg’s criminal case.

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