LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A judge has denied a handwritten motion asking for the release of a former social security attorney jailed for a multi-million dollar Social Security scheme.
Eric C. Conn was sentenced to 27 years due to his role in the scheme, following a brief escape to Central America.
Conn filed a handwritten motion from prison asking that his guilty plea be overturned due to his former attorney, Scott White, having a conflict of interest. Conn claims the FBI began investigating whether or not White knew or was involved with Conn's escape to Honduras before being sentenced.
After Conn was captured in a Honduran Pizza Hut and extradited to the United States, a new counsel was assigned to his case. According to the motion, his second counsel, Willis Coffey, was ineffective due to his convincing Conn to plead guilty to the escape charge.
The federal court denied the motion, stating that Conn failed to respond by Nov. 5.
"Having received no response from Conn, the Court deems Conn to have waived the privilege as to the specific matters raised in his § 2255 (original) motion," reads the opinion.
