By Rick Patrick Riverbend News
After spending many years as a prosecutor, former state attorney for Florida's Third Judicial Circuit, Jeff Siegmeister may be becoming accustomed to a new role in the courtroom: that of the defendant. Siegmeister has found himself in a great deal of hot water for most of 2020 through today. Siegmeister's alleged misdeeds range from bribery, wire fraud, tax fraud and much more. Many of the allegations against Siegmeister stem from his time spent as Florida's State Attorney in the Third Judicial Circuit; which includes Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor Counties. Among other charges, he is accused of taking money and property in exchange for altering charges and plea agreements.
In February of this year, a multi-count indictment was filed in federal court. Siegmeister, 52, was found and arrested in Flagstaff, Ariz. on Friday, Feb. 26. Siegmeister had apparently abandoned his animals and responsibilities and gone west. At the time of his arrest, Siegmeister was living in an RV and had supposedly attempted to put his address in his brother's name. The judge in Arizona considered Siegmeister to be a flight risk and ordered him handed over to U.S. Marshals for transportation back to Jacksonville, Fla., to face charges in the Middle District of Florida of the U.S. District Court.
On Thursday, April 22, Siegmeister was arraigned in federal court. During his arraignment, he was assigned a federal public defender and Siegmeister entered a plea of "not guilty." Siegmeister's trial is set to begin on Monday, June 7, at 9:30 a.m. A status conference is scheduled to be held on Monday, May 24, at 3 p.m. The trial will take place in the Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse, in Jacksonville. Because Siegmeister is considered such a flight risk, he will remain in custody through his trial.
If convicted on all counts, Siegmeister could face up to 129 years in federal prison.