CHARLESTON – The federal sentencing dates for two former state Supreme Court justices have been delayed until February.
Former Justice Allen Loughry was scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 16 in U.S. District Court. But on Jan. 14, U.S. District Judge John Copenhaver filed an order delaying it until Feb. 13, citing the need to allow revisions to pre-sentencing reports.
On Jan. 15, Copenhaver filed an order moving the sentencing of former Justice Menis Ketchum from Jan. 30 to Feb. 27. Soon after, Ketchum's attorneys filed a motion seeking another date because of a conflict with one of the attorney's wives having a surgery scheduled for Feb. 27.
Loughry was found guilty on 11 charges in October, but Copenhaver dismissed a witness tampering charge against Loughry last week when he also denied Loughry’s request for a new trial.
Loughry still faces sentencing on seven counts of wire fraud, one of mail fraud and two of making false statements to federal agents. Copenhaver wrote that the federal government can decide if it wants to retry Loughry on the witness tampering charge.
Loughry’s attorney had filed two motions seeking a new trial, arguing evidence was insufficient.
In response, federal prosecutors painted Loughry as “vindictive and vengeful,” “not credible,” retaliatory and one who “would not hesitate to flex his power and authority to get what he wanted.” They also said Loughry and attorney John Carr failed to provide evidence to warrant a new trial.
Loughry resigned from the state Supreme Court in November.
Also, a state Judicial Hearing Board hearing regarding Loughry scheduled was postponed from Jan. 14 to Feb. 6. That hearing is related to a 32-count Statement of Charges against Loughry filed in June by the state Judicial Investigation Commission.
Ketchum pleaded guilty in August to one count of wire fraud. He admitted to using a state-owned vehicle and a state-issued gas card for personal use for golf trips to Virginia.
Ketchum resigned from the state Supreme Court in July.