Stockman awaits verdict in fraud trial

Former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman and his wife, Patti, lingered in a break room at the federal courthouse Tuesday awaiting a verdict on allegations the two-time Republican lawmaker masterminded a wideranging financial fraud scheme, diverting charitable funds to pay for personal and political expenses.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about seven hours Tuesday, following closing arguments stretching through Monday. They heard three weeks of testimony from dozens of witnesses, including two of the ex-GOP lawmaker’s closest aides, who pleaded guilty to related conduct and were hoping Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal would grant them leniency in sentencing.

Stockman, 61, of Clear Lake, is charged with siphoning off $1.25 million that he solicited in charitable donations through a series of sham nonprofit groups and shell bank accounts, and spending it on everything from his brother’s homemade Advent books to an amateur spy operation that trailed a perceived Republican rival around the statehouse in Austin. He faces 24 criminal counts, including allegations of wire and mail fraud, money laundering, violations of federal election law and lying about his income on an income tax return.

Stockman’s defense team has argued he is innocent.

The eight fraud counts and one of the money laundering counts each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years, meaning he could surpass life in prison if he were given the maximum sentence.

If he is convicted on the fraud counts or faces a potentially lengthy sentence, prosecutors said they may request the former lawmaker be taken into federal custody.