By John Gregory
CHICAGO – A brief court appearance for former McLean County Board chairman Matt Sorensen reveals State Farm may be asked to hand over additional documents in the case.
Sorensen’s attorney told Judge Ronald Guzman in federal court in Chicago that while the discovery process has begun, he doesn’t expect to know how the defense will proceed until late March or early April, because it may decide to subpoena State Farm for more records.
Sorensen has been charged with five counts of wire fraud for allegedly taking more than $400,000 in unearned consulting fees from clients, including State Farm. He pleaded not guilty in his initial appearance last month.
The rest of the hearing dealt with scheduling, particularly around Sorensen’s vacation plans. He’s seeking the court’s permission to travel to South Carolina in March, as the terms of his bond prevent him from leaving Illinois without court approval.
The next status hearing in the case is set for March 3, earlier than the defense had requested. Sorensen won’t be required to attend.
