Federal prosecutors are being given more time to respond to a filing by the attorney for convicted ex-Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner.
U.S. District Judge Leon Holmes on Thursday gave prosecutors until May 18 to respond to the filing in which attorney Chuck Banks objects to a report suggesting Shoffner spend at least 15 years in prison for bribery and extortion convictions. Banks says a more appropriate sentence would be about 12 to 18 months, with half served in home detention.
The response was due Friday, but U.S. Attorney Chris Thyer said more time is needed.
Shoffner was convicted of illegally steering state business to a bond broker who gave her cash. The sentence recommendation is based on $2.4 million in commissions the broker received.
Banks says Shoffner did not receive those funds.
