Published: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 4:32 PM Updated: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 5:06 PM
Former Guttenberg Councilman Vincent Tabbachino could face two trials this year.
A federal judge agreed to sever money laundering charges from extortion and bribery charges, saying they could impact his co-defendent, who prosecutors have admitted had no knowledge of the money laundering.
Tabbachino, who now lives in Fairview, and Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez are co-defendants in the extortion and bribery charges. Tabbachino allegedly served as a middle man for Suarez, accepting $10,000 from a federal information on his behalf.
Tabbachino is also charged with laundering $100,000 for a federal informant, who was posing a real estate developer.
Tabbachino and Suarez are among the 46 people charged in Operation Bid Rig last year, which brought charges against 25 Hudson County officials.
Judge Jose L. Linares said today he would separate the charges because the money laundering allegations could impact Suarez' case.
Suarez was seeking to have his trial entirely separated from Tabbachino, who asked only that the money laundering charges be severed. Linares did not rule on Suarez' motion today, but said he would consider it.
Tabbachino’s attorney Anthony Kress said he felt the jury could be prejudiced by hearing about corruption and money laundering charges in the same trial.
“They should be decided on their own merits,” Kress said of the charges.
The trial was set to start Sept. 14, but Linares set an Oct. 4 date for the bribery and extortion charges. Kress said the money laundering charges would be heard after that.
Tabbachino also sought to have the results of a polygraph test he took admitted as evidence. He upholds that he returned the $10,000 bribe from a government informant, Solomon Dwek.
Kress also asked the judge to compel the government to have Dwek take a polygraph test. Kress said he is concerned Dwek will say the money was not returned, even though Tabbachino passed a polygraph test when he said he returned it.
Linares denied both motions.
“I was hopeful, but the judge’s ruling was not unexpected,” Kress said.