Timeline: Case against Katrina Brown & Reggie Brown

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The federal case against Katrina and Reggie Brown began to unfold in May 2018. The former Jacksonville City Council members, who are not related, were named in a federal indictment alleging fraud and money laundering, charges related to the misuse of a federally backed loan and a city grant obtained by a barbecue sauce business owned by Katrina Brown’s family.

RELATED: Former Jacksonville City Council members to be sentenced Thursday

Below is a timeline of events that led to the sentencing hearing:

• May 31, 2018: Grand jury returns indictment against Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown.
• June 1, 2018: Then-Gov. Rick Scott suspends the two from the City Council without pay.
• June 25, 2018: Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown enter not-guilty pleas at their arraignment.
• Sept. 19, 2019: Sixteen months after the indictments, a jury is seated in the court case.
• Sept. 23, 2019: During opening statements, Reggie Brown’s attorney reveals his client was involved romantically with Katrina Brown. Katrina Brown faces the court while representing herself.
• Sept. 27, 2019: After four days of testimony, during which witnesses discussed bogus invoices and thousands of dollars in kickbacks related to the case, the prosecution rests.
• Sept. 30, 2019: The defense for Katrina Brown rests without calling any witnesses.
• Oct. 1, 2019: Closing arguments get underway and the case goes to the jury.
• Oct. 2, 2019: After deliberating for seven hours over two days, the jury finds Katrina Brown guilty on all 37 counts and Reggie Brown guilty of 33 of 34 counts against him.
• Jan. 27, 2020: The date of the original sentencing hearing. That hearing was postponed until March after Katrina Brown got a new attorney. The sentencing was delayed again until May.
• Oct. 27, 2020: Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown finally appear in court for their sentencing hearing.
• Oct. 28, 2020: Sentencing resumes at 11 a.m. It’s expected the pair will be sentenced by the end of the day.