Marrocco’s corruption trial moved to October
Anthony Marrocco’s federal corruption trial that was slated to take place in July has been pushed back three months due to the complexity of the case and scheduling issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morocco, the former Macomb
County public works commissioner, was scheduled to go on trial July 11 but is now set to go on trial Oct. 11 in front of U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland in Port Huron.
Marrocco was indicted in May 2020 on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion and attempted extortion, accused of shaking down builders and contractors for donations to his fundraisers while he was in office from 1994 through 2016.
U.S. attorneys and Marrocco’s lawyer, Steve Fishman,
gained the delay from Cleland, according to court documents. They say in a joint request they need more time to prepare for the trial because “this case is so unusual or complex, with extensive discovery materials, including, among other things, evidence obtained through multiple wiretaps, reports of witness interviews, grand jury transcripts, and bank and financial records.”
In addition, they note the pandemic has forced the delay of several other cases they are handling unrelated to this case and must attend to some of those.
“The parties also ask for this delay given the unprecedented circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” they wrote.
Dino Bucci, Morocco’s codefendant and the government’s key witness, died in March but gave recorded sworn testimony last year that can be used at the trial.
Bucci had been scheduled to be sentenced in August after he pleaded guilty in May 2020 to two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion and conspiracy to commit theft.
Bucci was indicted in 2017 on 18 counts of conspiracy, bribery, theft, extortion, mail fraud and money laundering in connection with public contracts for his actions as Marrocco’s top deputy in the county public works office and as a member of the Macomb Township Board of Trustees.
Morocco and Bucci were charged as part of a yearslong, widespread federal corruption probe centered in Macomb County that brought convictions of about two-people including ex-garbage tycoon Chuck Rizzo, towing titan Gasper Fiore and several local elected officials.
Morocco, a Democrat, lost the 2016 election to Republican Candice Miller. His deadline for reaching a plea deal or filing motions is Sept. 20. Meanwhile, he is free on a personal bond.