December sentencing date set for ex-Seminole Tax Collector, ex-Matt Gaetz friend Joel Greenberg

Joel Greenberg is reportedly seeking a plea deal.

Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, who is cooperating with federal authorities in their investigation into U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, will be sentenced on Dec. 1 on five public corruption charges and one charge of sex trafficking a minor.

Judge Gregory Presnell of the Middle District of Florida set the sentencing date Friday, after Greenberg’s initial sentencing has already been delayed for more than a year after he pled guilty to the charges.

Greenberg, a political ally and friend of Gaetz, was first arrested in 2020 and charged with 33 criminal counts, mostly to do with public corruption during his time as Tax Collector, as well as theft, fraud and stalking.

In May 2021, he pleaded guilty to the six remaining charges as part of a deal with prosecutors as he works with federal authorities investigating Gaetz. In the plea agreement, Greenberg admitted paying to have sex with a minor and introducing the minor to other adult men, although no names were mentioned. Greenberg requested the subsequent sentencing delays to give him more time to work with federal law enforcement.

An FBI investigation into Gaetz’s possible involvement in trafficking a minor was first made public in a New York Times report in March 2021. Later reports showed payments Greenberg made on Venmo to women who had sex with Greenberg and Gaetz.

Gaetz has not been charged with a crime and he has denied any wrongdoing.

Under federal mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines, Greenberg could face between 12 years to life in prison for the sex trafficking charge alone. However, a judge could take into account his cooperation to give a lighter sentence.