Government Dismisses Jarec Wentworth Gun Charge Appeal
Before Jarec Wentworth’s extortion trial last July, prosecutors and defense attorneys argued over a seventh charge in the government’s superseding indictment against him: Possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence. Ultimately, the court dismissed the charge, as Wentworth didn’t have the gun on his person when he was arrested during the infamous Starbucks sting operation. However, after Wentworth was convicted on six felony extortion counts, the government filed a motion to appeal the court’s dismissal, and the gun charge was brought back into play.
Now, on the eve of Wentworth’s sentencing, the government has dismissed their own appeal, noting that “the Office of the Solicitor General has not authorized the government to pursue its appeal of the district court’s judgment.” In other words, someone in a position of authority recognized that the prosecutors had no case whatsoever, and told them to stop wasting everyone’s time (not to mention taxpayer dollars).
This dismissal has to be a crushing blow for Wentworth’s victim Donald Burns, given that the Republican multimillionaire was likely the one pushing the government to pursue the appeal (and more prison time for Wentworth) in the first place.
Wentworth is still set to be sentenced on Monday, October 26th. He faces up to seven years in prison.
