La. businessman gets new trial date

A federal judge has set a new trial date for a businessman charged with participating in a kickback scheme involving contracts for New Orleans’ crime surveillance program.

Mark St. Pierre was scheduled to be tried in February on charges that include conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery and money laundering. But U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon agreed this week to move the start of the trial to May 9.

St. Pierre’s lawyer asked for the delay because his client faces a new set of charges.

St. Pierre was indicted earlier this month on charges he bribed a former New Orleans city official, Anthony Jones. Jones recently pleaded guilty to taking payoffs from St. Pierre, who was a city vendor.