ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 18 months after former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg began cooperating with federal prosecutors as part of a plea agreement, a judge is scheduled to sentence Greenberg on six criminal charges including child sex trafficking.
U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Presnell set Greenberg’s sentencing for Dec. 1.
[TRENDING: New Championsgate I-4 intersection opens this Sunday | Brevard County family helps teen recover from Panhandle shark attack | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Greenberg, who remains incarcerated in the Orange County jail while awaiting sentencing, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years in federal prison.
As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, Greenberg agreed to cooperate on other criminal investigations. That cooperation could potentially lead to a reduction in additional prison time.
See our previous coverage below:
Greenberg pleaded guilty in May 2021 to child sex trafficking, aggravated identity theft, production of a false identification document, wire fraud, stalking and conspiracy.
Since then, Greenberg’s attorney and federal prosecutors have convinced the judge to delay sentencing as Greenberg reportedly continues to assist in other, undisclosed criminal prosecutions.
“Pursuant to his plea agreement with the Government and to mitigate the significant penalties he faces, Mr. Greenberg has been cooperating with federal prosecutors in active investigations currently being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida and the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. as well as in other jurisdictions,” Greenberg’s attorney, Fritz Scheller, wrote in a recent court filing.
U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell indicated in May that the year-long delay in sentencing Greenberg has been “in the interest of justice” but was preparing to sentence Greenberg in August “absent compelling circumstances”.
[RELATED: Joel Greenberg Timeline: From rising Republican star to federal charges]
It is unclear whether Greenberg’s attorney specifically requested the December sentencing date in a recent motion filed under seal.
Greenberg’s friend and former employee, Joseph Ellicott, is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 8 after he pleaded guilty to his role in a bribery scheme. A prior sentence hearing in June was postponed due to Ellicott’s health issues.
Ellicott, a former Seminole County tax collector’s office employee, admitted to serving as an intermediary between a public official, believed to be Greenberg, and an unidentified contractor.
See our previous coverage below:
That contractor allegedly paid bribes to the official while submitting inflated invoices to a government agency, court records show.
Besides taking part in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Ellicott also admitted to illegally distributing the prescription drug Adderall. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count.
Like Greenberg, Ellicott agreed to cooperate with federal authorities on other, undisclosed criminal investigations in exchange for leniency.
Joseph Zwick, one of Ellicott’s attorneys, reportedly told The Daily Beast his client has been cooperating in a sex trafficking investigation involving Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Gaetz, an associate of Greenberg, has denied any wrongdoing and is not charged with any crimes.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: