Judge denies Nacchio's request for prison furlough

 

The Denver Post

By Andy Vuong
March 16, 2010

 

A federal judge Thursday denied former Qwest chief executive Joe Nacchio's request for a furlough from prison.

Nacchio, serving a six-year term in Pennsylvania for criminal insider trading, sought a temporary break from his sentence so he could travel on his own to a mandatory court hearing in Denver.

The yet-to-be-scheduled hearing stems from Nacchio's plan to waive his right to attend his resentencing.

U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger wants to see Nacchio in person to ensure that the waiver is "voluntary and informed," requirements for such requests to be granted. She rejected his request to accept a written waiver.

The resentencing — which is split into two phases and could shorten Nacchio's prison term — had been slated to start Wednesday. But Krieger on Thursday canceled that hearing since, according to Nacchio's attorney, the government can't transport Nacchio to Denver until May.

The U.S. Marshals Service estimates that it would cost roughly $3,800 to escort Nacchio to Denver, said spokesman Dave Floyd.

Nacchio would travel via a Boeing 727 operated by the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System.

If he had been granted a furlough, Nacchio would have covered his travel expenses.

Nacchio was convicted of illegal insider trading in April 2007 and began serving his term last April. In July, an appeals-court panel granted him a resentencing, ruling that the trial judge miscalculated during the initial sentencing.

Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209, avuong@denverpost.com or twitter.com/andyvuong