On Tuesday, the final chapter in the case involving former Bridgeport Mayor Mario Blount will be completed. At 8:15 a.m. in the United States District Court in Clarksburg, Blount will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Irene M. Keeley.

 

The sentencing comes after Blount, a pharmacist, pleaded guilty Sept. 12 to the felony offenses of “Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substances”, “Distribution of Oxymorphone”, and “False or Fraudulent Material Omissions.”  Blount and co-defendants Angela and April Davis were indicted and arrested on June 3. Blount’s arrest came at his place of employment in Weston at that time. Shortly after he was arrested, Blount, 51, pled not guilty at his arraignment before entering a guilty plea in September.

 

The three counts have a combined maximum jail sentence of 44 years, fines of up to $2.5 million and three years of supervised release. However, the maximum on any of the counts is 20 years. As part of the plea, the government and Blount seek to have the terms run concurrently, which means at the same time. That means that if Keeley concurs with the agreement between the government and Blount, the most time he could serve is 20 years.

 

The maximum penalties for the counts Blount pleaded guilty to are: The conspiracy charge has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and three years supervised release. The distribution charge is the same as the conspiracy charge. The materials omission charge is four years in prison, a $500,000 fine and two years of supervised release.

 

Based on Blount’s past lack of criminal activity and the sentencing guidelines, it likely will be less than that. However, Keeley has the final say in that. In the event the final sentence ends up being more than Blount and his legal team anticipates, Blount cannot ask for a trial by jury to remedy that.

 

So what will happen Tuesday morning?

 

According to an area legal expert, sentencings at the federal level aren’t necessarily a quick process. He said sometimes the sentencing can last hours and involve witnesses being called by both the defense and the plaintiff; in this case the federal government.

 

By the time Tuesday arrives, both sides will likely have reviewed a pre-sentencing investigation Keeley assigned an officer of the court to complete after the plea hearing in September. The report provides recommendations or backs those of the plea agreement. Both sides can object to items made in the report and once all issues are settled, the final report will be forwarded to Keeley. Keeley will review the report in helping shape her decision.

 

“There will likely be testimony from both sides and from several individuals. Some of the witnesses could be asked to testify as it relates to the pre-sentence investigation and there’s also a possibility of the defense (in this case Blount’s attorney William Wilmoth) calling character witnesses,” said the legal expert. “Character witnesses are somewhat common in that they are presented to persuade the judge to go toward the lower end of the sentencing guidelines.”

 

The legal expert also said that the defense probably won’t be the only side to call witnesses.

 

“It certainly would not be unusual for the U.S. Attorney’s office (in this case William J. Ihlenfeld II, representing the government) to put on witnesses. I would imagine their witnesses would be related to the pre-sentencing investigation,” said the expert.

 

After testimony is given – if it is given – Judge Keeley will use the testimony and the pre-sentencing guidelines to make her decision. Keeley can go along with the recommendations in the report, the recommendations that were reached when Blount agreed to plead guilty or go higher or lower in her sentencing.

 

“She will determine what is appropriate,” said the expert.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of Mario Blount during his time as the city's mayor, while Bill Ihlenfeld, foreground, is shown during a press conference announcing the arrest of Blount last year.