Shelton developer James Botti’s attempt to have his federal money structuring conviction reversed has failed.
U.S. District Judge Charles Haight Tuesday filed an order denying Botti’s motions for a new trial.
Botti’s attorney, William Dow III, filed motions after Botti’s November trial seeking a new trial, claiming the U.S. government didn’t make its case and that testimony from several witnesses should not have been allowed.
At the trial in November, Botti was convicted on one count of money structuring and one count of conspiracy to structure cash deposits. Structuring is when cash is deposited in chunks of less than $10,000 to avoid detection from the IRS.
During that trial Botti was acquitted of two counts of making false statements to a federal agent.
Judge Haight filed his order Tuesday, with a note that a full explanation for the decision would follow. (The order is posted at the bottom of this article.)
Botti is facing a second criminal trial in federal court for corruption charges.
U.S. officials allege that Botti tried to bribe public officials in Shelton to get his development projects pushed through.
That trial is set to start in March.
Judge Haight has said that it might be best for Botti and the U.S. attorneys to reach a settlement in that case, but that hasn’t happened yet.
