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SALT LAKE CITY — Convicted internet marketer Jeremy Johnson wants a new trial and a federal judge to acquit him despite a jury finding him guilty last month of making false statements to a bank.
New lawyers for the one-time St. George millionaire argue in court papers that U.S. District Judge David Nuffer erroneously excluded or admitted evidence and testimony that would have aided Johnson's defense. They also contend Johnson was wrongly denied access to money to hire a lawyer after a judge froze his assets in a parallel civil case in Nevada.
Johnson represented himself in the seven-week trial after parting ways with three sets of court-appointed attorneys.
An eight-man, three-woman jury found Johnson guilty of eight counts of making false statements to a bank, but acquitted him of 78 fraud charges in connection with his now defunct online enterprise, iWorks. It convicted former iWorks general manager Ryan Riddle of six counts of making false statements to a bank.
Nuffer confined Johnson to jail pending his sentencing hearing June 20. He faces up to 30 years in prison.
Related:
Convicted businessman Jeremy Johnson headed to jail, possible long prison term
U.S. marshals escorted convicted felon Jeremy Johnson to jail Friday pending a June sentencing hearing, which appears likely to end in a long prison sentence for the one-time wealthy Internet entrepreneur.Johnson's attorneys, who took his case after his conviction, say a March 30 U.S. Supreme Court ruling found that the right to a lawyer is so fundamental that it trumps the possibility that a civil court could obtain a judgement against Johnson. The criminal court never determined if the frozen assets were traceable to crimes for which Johnson was charged, according to court documents.
The lawyers also argue that federal prosecutors charged Johnson with too many crimes and that the jury likely wasn't unanimous in convicting him of the eight counts of making false statements to a bank.
Johnson asked Nuffer to schedule an evidentiary hearing on the issues raised in the motion for a new trial.
