A federal judge has denied a request by one of three former utilities officials convicted on federal theft charges to delay the start of his six-month prison term by one month to early January.

James Sullivan, one of three former Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative officials convicted on theft charges connected with lavish trips to the Kentucky Derby and a West Virginia golf resort, had asked to delay the order that he report to prison Dec. 4.

Sullivan’s attorney, Daniel S. Noble, filed a motion in the U.S. District Court in New Haven asking that Sullivan be allowed to report to prison Jan. 3 instead. The additional time would allow Sullivan to consult with his attorney regarding the status of a second criminal indictment that alleges Sullivan received reimbursement from CMEEC for personal expenses totaling more than $100,000 from 2012 to 2015.

And, Noble wrote in the motion, it would allow Sullivan time to “arrange his personal affairs” and give him the chance to spend Christmas and New Year’s holidays with his family.

Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, who presided over the Kentucky Derby theft case and the second criminal case, denied the request. In his ruling posted on the docket Wednesday, Meyer wrote that Sullivan has had plenty of time to negotiate any resolution of the second criminal case, since the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied his appeal on the Kentucky Derby case on Sept. 6.

Meyer also rejected Sullivan’s other arguments, saying Sullivan did not explain what “personal affairs” needed to be arranged, “much less why more time is necessary to do so,” Meyer wrote.

“Mr. Sullivan has had the opportunity to spend many holidays with his family during the several years that this case has been pending,” Meyer wrote, “and in the last year alone the Court has granted multiple motions to allow Mr. Sullivan to travel to visit and vacation with family members including with family in Florida during last year's end-of-year holidays.”

According to the docket, Sullivan most recently was granted permission to travel in October to visit with his brother in Vero Beach, Fla.

Sullivan, CMEEC CEO Drew Rankin and former Norwich Public Utilities General Manager John Bilda were convicted on one count each of theft from a program receiving federal funds in the first criminal case. Rankin was ordered to serve 12 months in prison and Sullivan and Bilda to serve six months each, beginning Dec. 4.

In the second criminal case, which is pending, Sullivan and Rankin were indicted on two counts each of theft from a program receiving federal funds and conspiracy. They allegedly tried to hide $103,832 in personal expenses reimbursed to Sullivan using CMEEC funds by calling them lobbying expenses. Sullivan was not a registered lobbyist for CMEEC.

Meyer had placed their second trial on hold throughout the proceedings of the first trial and for the duration of the three defendants’ appeals of their December 2021 convictions.

On Tuesday, attorneys for Sullivan and Rankin and two assistant U.S. attorneys filed a joint status report about the second trial informing Judge Meyer that the parties “are engaged in negotiations to resolve this matter without the need for further substantive motion practice or trial.”

The parties hope to conclude their negotiations within the next 30 days, the report stated.

c.bessette@theday.com