Trial of Former VIHFA Official Continued to January

The trial of a former V.I. Housing Finance Authority executive charged in connection with a multimillion-dollar fraud is slated to start in late January.

The trial of Darin Richardson, former VIHFA chief operating officer, was originally scheduled for Nov. 24. Prosecutors asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile Henderson for a 30-day continuance on Oct. 30 after the government’s lead counsel withdrew from the case. The new lead counsel, Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasir Sadat, will be on preapproved leave during parts of November and December, and an unspecified number of the government’s essential witnesses will be unavailable during the week of Nov. 25 due to family, travel and medical reasons, according to the government’s motion to continue.

Richardson initially opposed the continuance and maintained his right to demand a prompt and speedy trial, defense attorney Darren John-Baptiste wrote in a Nov. 1 response to the government’s motion. Following a Nov. 4 hearing on the matter, Richardson agreed to not oppose the motion if the government handed over early Jencks material or the evidence the government plans to use in its prosecution. Both parties filed a joint notice of that agreement last Wednesday.