In three hours court action Friday, Chief Judge Linda R. Reade heard from witnesses and lawyers over objections and exhibits. Reade did not, however, get to the purpose of the hearing — the sentencing of William B. Aossey Jr. for his jury convictions from last July. Instead, the federal judge continued the sentencing hearing to Friday to 9 a.m. Feb. 25 in the U.S. Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, IA. Aossey was returned to the lockup where he has been held since the jury convicted him. He was charged with 19 counts in a scheme that saw the Halal food company he founded fulfill shipments to Southeast Asia with meat from plants not approved to make those shipments. To pull it off, USDA establishment numbers were switched about. The jury convicted Aossey on 15 counts, and acquitted him on four. A half dozen objections to the pre-sentence investigative report for Aossey were taken under advisement by Judge Reade. These include calculation of loss figures, whether the defendant played an aggravating role, whether he abused trust, used a sophisticated means, obstructed justice, and/or accepted responsibility. How Judge Reade rules on the objections could add or subtract years from Aossey’s sentence. The judge in U.S. District Court for Northern Iowa is also permitting both the government and defense to supplement the record. She admitted a dozen different exhibits from both sides, including character letters supporting the defendant. Also to be sentenced on Feb. 25 are Midamar Corp., Islamic Services of America, and two of Aossey’s sons. Those four defendants reached agreements to plead guilty before going to trial. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)