Court date change in federal court for Biloxi councilman

A court date in the case of a Biloxi councilman indicted on federal drug charges has been changed.

According to filings in U.S. District Court in Gulfport, Robert L. Deming III now has a court date for 3:30 p.m. May 1 before District Judge Taylor B. McNeel.

Deming originally was scheduled to change his plea in the case on Thursday, but that date was reset to April 29 because of a conflict with federal prosecutors. The most recent filing, entered Monday, asked for a change in date because of a conflict on the calendar for Deming’s attorney, W. Fred “Dub” Hornsby.

Hornsby filed paperwork indicating Deming planned to change his plea on April 15.

According to that filing, Robert L. Deming III plans to change his plea to guilty to the second count of a three-count indictment.

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District filed a motion to dismiss charges earlier this month against Celeste “C.J.” Little, an employee at Deming’s Biloxi business, The Candy Shop.

Deming was indicted in September of last year on three counts after federal agents raided his CBD and Kratom stores in Mississippi and North Carolina, as well as his Biloxi home.

The indictment charged Deming with two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and destruction or alteration of records in a federal investigation.

Deming has been on house arrest since being arrested and is still a sitting Biloxi councilman, but as convicted felon, he will have to give up his seat on the Biloxi City Council.

The maximum penalty is not more than 20 years in prison, up to a $1 million fine, three years probation and a special $100 assessment.