May 24, 2013
The trial of a former Lenoir County state legislator accused of theft and money laundering has been delayed until February.
A federal judge this week signed an order delaying the proposed arraignment and trial of ex-Rep. Stephen LaRoque of Kinston until at least Feb. 12. U.S. District Judge Malcolm Howard earlier had set the proceedings to begin Oct. 9.
Prosecutors and LaRoque's defense attorney asked Howard last week to postpone the trial because of the complicated matter of the case and LaRoque's attorney working on an upcoming trial in state court.
The delay was first reported by The News & Observer of Raleigh.
A grand jury indicted LaRoque in July on eight counts, accusing him of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars loaned to his company through a federal program.
