John P. O’Brien
A federal judge has dismissed John P. O’Brien’s motions for acquittal and a new trial, letting stand a jury’s finding that he committed three counts of wire fraud as part of a scheme to steal about $2 million from Primary Health Network of Sharon.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, Pittsburgh, said April 30 that there was sufficient evidence for the jury to find the Masury man guilty.
The decision sets the stage for O’Brien’s sentencing on Aug. 17.
O’Brien was one of five people charged and the only one to take his case to trial. Former PHN CEO John Laeng, one of those who pleaded guilty, testified at O’Brien’s trial. The trial began with jury selection Feb. 9 and ended with the jury’s verdict on Feb. 19.
O’Brien, who owned a telecommunications company that was hired for PHN building projects, submitted fraudulent invoices for payment, prosecutors said.
O’Brien faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for each count.
