Fagen Sentencing Rescheduled for May 9

Michael Fagen, the former Long Beach City Council member convicted in February on charges connected to his collection of more than $15,000 in unemployment benefits, will be sentenced next month after two postponements. 

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At a conference on Wednesday Judge Meryl Berkowitz set Fagen's sentencing for May 9. He was originally scheduled for sentencing on April 8, but Berkowitz hadn’t reviewed all the former councilman’s parole reports and his sentencing was postponed, according to Newsday. Chris Munzing, a spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office, declined to comment on the delays but told Patch the former councilman's sentencing is set for May 9.

In February a jury found Fagen guilty of 18 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and one misdemeanor count of petit larceny. Jurors failed to reach verdicts on the top charge, one count of third-degree grand larceny, and 20 additional counts of offering a false instrument for filing.
Less than a week later, the Democrat councilman was forced to step down on his conviction for a felony, and attorney and Long Beach resident, Eileen Goggin, filled Fagen’s term that expires in December.

During the former councilman’s trial, prosecutors said Fagen failed to report his $19,828 yearly income as a councilman and he received $405 weekly in unemployment insurance benefits after he took office in January 2010.
Marc Gann, Fagen's attorney, said that he intends to appeal.

Fagen faces up to four years in prison.

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