DELTRA LONG: Esteemed Former St. Augustine PZB Vice Chair Pleads Guilty to Federal Felony

In its 17-page plea agreement, USDOJ agrees not to object to probation or supervised release and mentions the possibility of "cooperation, if any" by Ms. Long being reported to other offices.  

Source: plea agreement, paragraphs 6 & 8.

Good work by Jacksonville lawyer Henry Coxe, III, criminal defense lawyer for esteemed former St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board Deltra Long on FEMA fraud charges (false claims to obtain FEMA money for 148 Twine Street rental house, falsely claiming it was her principal residence).   

Ms. Long is a lifelong civil rights activist and was one of the first African-Americans to graduate from St. Augustine High School.  Her classmates and colleagues all admire her.  She ran for Commission in 2008, coming within twelve votes of being in the runoff (held between Bruce Maguire, who lost, and Roxanne Horvath, who was elected).  Until the indictment, there were hopes Ms. Long would be St. Augustine's first African-American Mayor. 

Query: will Deltra Long provide evidence re: any possible felonies by developers, their lobbyists and lawyers, or St. Augustine Planning and Zoning staff or board members? 


From United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida files:

Case No. 3:18-cr-67-J-39JRK
Defense Atty: Henry M. Coxe, III, Esquire & Michael Halkitis, Esquire

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTMIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDAJACKSONVILLE DIVISION

AUSA: Jay C. Taylor, Esquire

JUDGE	James R. Klindt U. S. Magistrate Judge	DATE AND TIME	12/3/2018 3:08 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.
DEPUTY CLERK	Megan D. Chaddock	TAPE/REPORTER	Digital
INTERPRETER	None Present	PRETRIAL/PROBATION	None Present

PROCEEDINGS:

CLERK’S MINUTES
CHANGE OF PLEA

Defendant placed under oath and questioned regarding Magistrate Judge conducting the plea hearing. Defendant consents.
Defendant advised of rights, charge, penalties, special assessment, and forfeiture provision. Defendant entered a plea of guilty to Count Two of the Indictment.
Count One of the Indictment will be dismissed at sentencing, pursuant to the Plea Agreement. Court finds Defendant alert, intelligent, and willingly entered plea of guilty.
Counsel waive the 14 day objection period to the Report and Recommendation.
Report and Recommendation to enter.
Sentencing to be set by District Judge.
Order of Detention shall remain in effect.
FILED IN OPEN COURT:
NOTICE REGARDING ENTRY OF A PLEA OF GUILTY PLEA AGREEMENT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA JACKSONVILLE DIVISION
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
vs.
DELTRA LONG.  CASE NO. 3:18-cr-67-J-39JRK 

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION1CONCERNING PLEA OF GUILTY

The Defendant, by consent, has appeared before me pursuant to Rule 11, Fed. R. Crim. P. and Rule 6.01(c)(12), M. D. Fla. Rules, and has entered a plea of guilty to Count Two of the Indictment. After cautioning and examining the Defendant under oath concerning each of the subjects mentioned in Rule 11, I determined that the guilty plea was knowledgeable and voluntary, and that the offense charged is supported by an independent basis in fact containing each of the essential elements of such offense. I therefore recommend that the plea of guilty be accepted and that the Defendant be adjudged guilty and have sentence imposed accordingly.
DONE AND ENTERED at Jacksonville, Florida, this 3rd day of December, 2018.
Copies to:
Honorable Brian J. Davis
United States District Judge
Chloe Swinton, Courtroom Deputy Assistant United States Attorney (J. Taylor) Henry M. Coxe, III, Esquire
United States Probation
United States Pretrial Services

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Here's the incomplete 174 word story from the St. Augustine Record, which omitted any mention of USDOJ's agreement not to object to probation or supervised release:

Deltra Long pleads guilty to one charge in FEMA fraud case; sentencing to be scheduled

By Sheldon Gardner
Posted Dec 5, 2018 at 2:01 AM
Former St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board member Deltra Long has agreed to a plea deal in a fraud case involving the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Her sentencing has yet to be scheduled, and it will be up to a U.S. Middle District Court judge to decide whether to accept the agreement, according to court documents.

Long was charged this year with theft of government funds and making a false claim against the government. Authorities believe she applied for and received about $10,000 to repair a rental property that she claimed was her primary residence, according to court documents. She applied for the help after Hurricane Matthew.

Long had entered a plea of not guilty but changed her plea to guilty to one charge this week as part of a plea deal, which will drop the theft of government funds charge. While Long is seeking to avoid prison time, the maximum sentence for the charge includes 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and supervised release, according to the plea agreement.