Winburn’s federal public corruption trial delayed until October

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A federal judge on Tuesday granted a continuance for the trial of RoShawn Winburn, a Dayton city employee facing federal public corruption charges.

Winburn and Clayton Luckie will go to trial in Dayton’s U.S. District Court on Oct. 15, the same day prosecutors expect for co-defendants Joey Williams and Brian Higgins.

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“With events of last week, we’ve had some challenges in being able to adequately review the rather large amount of discovery from the government,” Winburn’s attorney, David Williamson, said Tuesday in front of U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Rose.

Williamson’s written motion to push back the June 24 trial cited that both he and his client were affected by the storm that produced 15 tornadoes.

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“The loss of power and communication made the review of discovery received from the government very difficult if not impossible,” Williamson wrote, “and that more time is needed for both defendant and his counsel to review the discovery, which is voluminous.”

During Luckie’s continuance hearing Monday, his attorney said audio and video evidence was substantial. On Tuesday, Rose said not allowing a continuance could be a “miscarriage of justice” and that there was a “good amount of information and materials to review and analyze” that justified the waiving of speedy trial rights.

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Winburn is charged with public corruption, accused of accepting bribes from city vendors — including more than $20,000 in cash — for allegedly providing confidential information and certifying entities as minority-owned or disadvantaged firms without fully checking their qualifications, according to the indictment.

Luckie was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Williams, a former Dayton commissioner, is accused of accepting bribes — including cash and construction work at his home. Higgins, a Dayton businessman, was charged with wire fraud.

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