NEW YORK — Terry Rozier’s legal and NBA issues played out in a Brooklyn federal courtroom Monday afternoon as his lawyer pushed for a fast resolution to the case federal prosecutors brought against him in October in an alleged illegal sports gambling scheme.
Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, told Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall that Rozier’s legal issues since his October arrest and indictment, and the reported news of his investigation last winter, have been “professionally devastating” for Rozier. He is facing two federal charges — conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering — as part of a sprawling indictment out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Rozier pleaded not guilty to both charges early Monday afternoon in his first federal court appearance and was released on $3 million bond.
Hours later, in a status hearing in front of Hall, Trusty said he wants Rozier’s case to move quickly. Rozier was placed on unpaid administrative leave by the NBA in October after his arrest and has been ordered to stay away from the Heat. The National Basketball Players Association filed a grievance with the league over it. Trusty said he will have an arbitration hearing with the league later this month — Dec. 17, according to a source briefed on the matter, and it will contest only that Rozier’s leave is unpaid. Rozier was set to make $26.6 million salary in this last season of a four-year, $96.3 million contract.
Hall, the federal judge overseeing the case, had little interest in Rozier’s NBA proceedings and said that would not impact the schedule for the case.
“His arbitration hearing is of no concern to me,” she said.
Trusty said he will file a motion to dismiss the case Tuesday; Evan Corcoran, the lawyer for Laster, said he will likely join him.
“We still have factual innocence to deal with, but for now, getting an opportunity to litigate a significant legal motion is a good thing,” Trusty said after the second hearing.
Rozier was joined in court by Deniro Laster, a co-defendant in the case. Both were arrested and indicted in October in what federal prosecutors say was their involvement in an illegal sports gambling scheme. Laster, Rozier’s friend, also pleaded not guilty and was released on $50,000 bond.
The two are facing federal wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges. Prosecutors say Rozier told Laster he would remove himself early from a March 2023 game while he was still with the Charlotte Hornets. According to the indictment, Laster then sold that information to two sports gamblers, who bet on it and sent it to others as part of a wagering syndicate.
Rozier and Laster sat feet apart at tables next to each other Monday as the judge arraigned them in their case. Rozier secured his bond with his Florida home, and Laster relied on his mother and cousin and sureties. Later, they sat at the same table as the four other co-defendants in the case. Rozier and Damon Jones, the former NBA veteran and assistant coach, sat just one seat apart.
Rozier, Laster, Jones and the other defendants — Marves Fairley, Shane Hennen and Eric Earnest — are expected back in court on March 3, when the judge will hear the next update on the case. Benjamin Weintraub, an assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, said prosecutors will deliver discovery soon. The first batch, he said, is expected to include more than 1,000 documents and more than 55 gigabytes of data that includes bank, phone and betting records, as well as payments between each other. Once that happens, he said prosecutors expect to begin plea negotiations with some of the defendants.