A federal judge in Orlando has scheduled Joel Greenberg, the former Florida tax collector with close ties to Rep. Matt Gaetz, to be sentenced August 19.
Greenberg formally pleaded guilty last month to six federal charges in a court hearing, admitting to a federal judge that he had knowingly solicited and paid a minor for sex.
The guilty plea from Greenberg, a former Seminole County, Florida, tax commissioner, came after he struck a deal with federal prosecutors to avoid some of the other 33 federal charges he had faced that ranged from identity theft to fraud and bribery allegations.
As part of the plea, Greenberg has agreed to give “substantial assistance” to prosecutors as part of their sprawling investigation, including by testifying at trials or in federal grand juries if needed and in turning over all documents he might have that could help the federal inquiry.
Federal investigators are still examining whether Gaetz broke federal sex trafficking, prostitution, and public corruption laws and whether he had sex with a minor. Gaetz has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
The Justice Department and the defense team are both due to file arguments at least 10 days before the sentencing, which likely would describe how his cooperation is going and other factors that the judge could consider for sentencing.
It’s not clear from Thursday’s order if Greenberg’s cooperation is over or if it would continue past sentencing.
