NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Though set for October, Rep. Glen Casada and his former aide Cade Cothren petitioned a federal court to give them more time to ready their defense against bribery and conspiracy charges.
Casada requested a six-month delay, according to the motion filed. He and Cothren were due in court Oct. 25.
This comes after Casada, Cothren — as well as another conspirator — engaged in a fraudulent scheme to enrich themselves "by exploiting Casada and the other conspirator’s official positions as legislators to obtain State approval of Phoenix Solutions as a Mailer Program vendor to provide constituent mail services to members of the Tennessee General Assembly."
The FBI raided Casada's home and office in the legislature in 2021.
"Mr. Casada intends to vigorously defend against the allegations in the indictment," his attorney Jonathan P. Farmer wrote. "In order to effectively do so, both he and his counsel require sufficient time to evaluate and analyze all of the government’s disclosures (both already made and to be made in the future), conduct his own investigation into the government’s disclosures, and conduct his own independent investigation."
The motion indicated prosecutors didn't object to the request. He also waived his right to a speedy trial, meaning it would be delayed 180 days until April 2023.
Casada still serves in the state legislature, representing Williamson County's House District 63 and will retire at the end of his term.
Soon after Casada's legal team filed for a delay, Cothren's mimicked the same.
What they are charged with:
Casada and Cothren are charged with the following offenses:
- Conspiracy
- Theft concerning programs receiving federal funds
- Two counts of bribery and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds
- Six counts of honest services wire fraud
- Use of a fictitious name to carry out a fraud
- Money laundering conspiracy
- Eight counts of money laundering
If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison. Additionally, the indictment contains a forfeiture allegation, meaning the government is seeking to recover all the proceeds of the alleged crimes.
