Former Norwich Public Utilities General Manager John Bilda was expected to report to federal prison Wednesday to begin his six-month sentence on a federal theft conviction charge, but two other former utilities officials also convicted in the case were granted a two-week extension to report to prison.

Bilda, former Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy cooperative CEO Drew Rankin and former CMEEC board and Norwich utilities commission Chairman James Sullivan all were convicted by a jury in New Haven federal court in December 2021 on one count each of theft from a program receiving federal funds. The case stems from controversial lavish trips by CMEEC board, top staff and dozens of invited guests to the Kentucky Derby and a West Virginia golf resort.

Bilda and Sullivan were sentenced by Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer to serve six months in prison and three years of probation. They were each also ordered to pay $187,400 in restitution to CMEEC for a portion of the costs of trips taken by CMEEC in 2015, the year covered by the conviction. Rankin was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay $374,400 as the lead planner of the trips.

All three initially were ordered to report by noon Wednesday to the facility assigned by the federal Bureau of Prisons.

But on Nov. 25, Rankin’s attorney filed a motion to request an extension to Wednesday, Dec. 18, because the Bureau of Prisons had not yet assigned him to a location. Judge Meyer asked U.S. attorneys to contact the Bureau of Prisons for an update and on Nov. 27, the day before Thanksgiving, Meyer granted extensions to noon Dec. 18 for both Rankin and Sullivan.

“The Court and counsel learned from the government that the designation has been delayed but that the BOP stated it was working diligently to complete the designation,” Meyer wrote in his ruling. “Because of the intervening Thanksgiving holiday, the Court has concerns about the ability of BOP to appropriately complete its designation in a time that would reasonably allow the defendants to report to their designated facilities on time.”

Bilda’s report date was not altered. The Bureau of Prisons lists a registration number for Bilda, but as of late Wednesday, Bilda’s sentencing location was not posted on the website.

Sullivan and Rankin face a second criminal case after they 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 was assigned to hear that case as well and had placed the case on hold pending the outcome of the first criminal case.

On Nov. 27, the case was transferred to Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in U.S. District Court in Hartford. Richardson has scheduled a pretrial diversion hearing on Friday for the parties to the case.

Before the case was transferred to Richardson, attorneys for Sullivan and Rankin and two assistant U.S. attorneys filed a joint status report to Judge Meyer stating the parties “are engaged in negotiations to resolve this matter without the need for further substantive motion practice or trial.”

c.bessette@theday.com