The trial of a former North Carolina House member accused of theft and money laundering could begin this fall.
U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm Howard has ordered a schedule of the legal proceedings involving ex-Rep. Stephen LaRoque. Howard proposes LaRoque's arraignment and trial date could occur as soon as Oct. 9. Howard directed pretrial motions be filed by Sept. 14.
A grand jury indicted the Kinston Republican last month on eight counts. He's accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars loaned to his company through a federal program and giving it to another company he owned for transactions that helped family members.
LaRoque's attorney says his client is innocent.
LaRoque from the House late last month.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
