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Fed court resets sentencing of ex-CHC employee
The federal court has delayed the sentencing of Melvin G. Ada, a former employee of the Commonwealth Health Center who pleaded guilty to 56 charges for misappropriating and diverting over $1.7 million in government funds.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona moved Ada’s sentencing from Oct. 23, 2014, to Feb. 3, 2015, after the prosecution and defendant’s counsel filed a joint motion to reset the date.
Manglona said objections to the U.S. Probation Office’s presentence report shall be due on or before Jan. 15, 2015.
In a joint motion, Assistant U.S. attorney Garth Backe and Ada’s counsel, Colin Thompson, asked the court to hold the sentencing hearing until after the trial of Ada’s wife, Leyda.
The parties believe that if Ada testifies on Jan. 8, 2015, at his wife Leyda’s trial, the truthfulness or untruthfulness of that testimony would an important factor for the court to consider in crafting an appropriate sentence.
Backe and Thompson said setting Ada’s sentencing after would give him greater opportunity to cooperate with the U.S. government, which could impact his sentence.
Ada pleaded guilty to 19 counts of theft or embezzlement, nine counts of health care fraud, and 28 counts of money laundering as part of a plea deal with the U.S. government.
Ada’s original sentencing date was March 7, 2014.
Manglona allowed Ada to remain free until his sentencing date.
Ada was previously assigned as a medical supply specialist at CHC. Leyda used to be a sales representative for Midwest Medical Supply Co. Inc., a Missouri-based company that had supplied dialysis consumables and equipment to CHC.
Leyda is facing charges that she conspired with her husband in a health care and food stamp fraud. Mark Hanson is her court-appointed counsel.
Leyda has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of money laundering, five counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, and one count of perjury.
