Indicted Jacksonville City Council members want more time

Katrina Brown, Reggie Brown ask federal judge to push deadline for motions

Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown leaving federal courthouse after Thursday's hearing.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The attorneys for Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown, who were Jacksonville City Council members until they were suspended following federal indictments for fraud and money laundering, filed a joint motion Monday asking for more time to file motions related to the case.

The original deadline for motions was Tuesday.

Recommended Videos



Prosecutors handed over the first round of government evidence to the defense attorneys July 2. It consisted of about 1 TB of data, which is about 25,000 documents. Three weeks later, prosecutors handed over a supplemental round of discovery material.

The attorneys are asking for more time to review the discovery material, consult with their clients and prepare potential motions. They have asked the judge to set a new deadline at the next status conference, which was rescheduled for Aug. 15.

According to the motion, prosecutors were not opposed to this request.

The two Browns were tentatively scheduled to go to trial on 38-counts including money laundering and fraud in September.

The federal charges accuse the Browns, who are not related, of using Katrina Brown's family barbecue businesses and a business set up by Reggie Brown to submit fake invoices to their lender for services the businesses had not provided.

Federal prosecutors said the Browns' businesses handled nearly $3 million in federal and city loans and grants and that the Browns used the money for personal use and hid the paper trail.

Last month, both Browns pleaded not guilty.

While neither Brown resigned from office, Gov. Rick Scott suspended the day after they were indicted. All traces of them have been removed from the City Council offices. Their photos and nameplates have been taken down and references to them on the city's website have been scrubbed.