Another charge filed against former DA
By Staff
Melissa Cason, Franklin County Times
A new indictment was issued Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court charging former Franklin County District Attorney John Pilati with a fifth count of deprivation of rights.
In February, Pilati, 41, was indicted with four misdemeanor counts of deprivation of rights under color of law in connection with what the Government contends was illicit sexual contact between himself and four young males during body searches.
U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin said Wednesday's indictment adds another victim and another charge.
"I strongly deny these charges," Pilati said in an email to the Times. "If you shop enough of the thousands of defendants who were sent to prison as a result of my tenure as district attorney, you will surely find a handful willing to retaliate against me."
Pilati contended all of the accusers were convicted of serious crimes by his office – including LSD trafficking, armed robbery, and illegal drug possession – and questioned the length of time between his time in office and filing of the charges.
"The government's own paperwork indicates that these allegations arose for the first time up to five years after they supposedly happened," he said, "and in spite of never having been reported to law enforcement, or anyone else."
The previously alleged conduct occurred from on or about spring 2001 through winter 2002.
The added count includes conduct, which occurred on or about February 2004.
"The Federal Bureau of Investigation will continue to aggressively investigate all credible allegations of civil rights violations," Carmen S. Adams, FBI Special Agent in Charge, said.
The maximum sentence for deprivation of civil rights is not more than one year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine for each count.
Imprisonment for each count is to be served consecutively.
Pilati is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in about two weeks for arraignment on the new indictment, Martin's office said.
Jill Ellis, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office said yesterday that no trial date has been set, however, the earliest the case could go to trial is within 90 days of this most-recent indictment.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment contains only charges.
A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
