Judge gives Cedar Rapids landlord Miell two weeks to get a lawyer

A federal magistrate today gave Cedar Rapids landlord Robert Miell only two more weeks to retain an attorney so his tax and mail fraud sentencing from last month can continue.

Miell told U.S. Magistrate Jon Scoles his sister has two attorneys who might be interested in taking his case. A retainer has been the problem, but there's a 75 percent chance that one of the attorneys will take the job, he said.

Scoles set a hearing 10 a.m. Oct. 30, and if Miell doesn't have an attorney then the hearing will proceed to determine if Miell is eligible for a court-appointed attorney.

Miell could be eligible, based on a judge's order last week that Miell's 460 properties, valued at $69 million, will be liquidated in bankruptcy. Miell owes lenders $45 to $50 million.

Miell is without an attorney because his previous attorneys, Steven DeVolder and William Kutmus, asked to withdraw from the case during Miell's sentencing hearing last month. Miell demanded to testify and his attorneys didn't feel it was in his best interest.

Miell was convicted in January of two counts of tax fraud and pleaded guilty before trial to 18 counts of mail fraud and two counts of perjury. The charges stem from fraudulently reporting more than $336,000 in storm damages on 145 properties to American Family Insurance.

[naviga:h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em"]Related articles by Zemanta

[naviga:ul class="zemanta-article-ul"]

[naviga:li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"]Liquidation of 460 Miell rentals not likely to hurt Cedar Rapids market (gazetteonline.com)