U.S. District Judge William M. Nickerson set a May 15 trial date yesterday for Del. Tony E. Fulton, a West Baltimore Democrat, and Annapolis lobbyist Gerard E. Evans on charges of defrauding clients of Evans' paint and asbestos company.
The federal mail and wire fraud charges stem from an alleged scheme in which Fulton talked about proposing legislation that could have cost Evans' clients millions of dollars. By threatening to introduce the bills, Fulton helped Evans drive up his lobbying fees, prosecutors charge. As part of the scheme, Evans allegedly steered a $10,125 real estate commission to Fulton, a real estate agent.
