State Sen. Katrina Robinson was found guilty on four of five wire fraud counts Thursday, Sept. 30, following a nearly three-week trial.

The verdict brought a call from the state’s lieutenant governor for Robinson’s resignation from her District 33 senate seat, but Robinson said later she has not made a decision.

She still faces other federal charges in a separate case and will be sentenced in this case Jan. 5. Wire fraud can bring up to 20 years imprisonment.

Jury to begin deliberations in Katrina Robinson trial

The jury’s verdict, after about six hours of deliberation beginning Thursday morning, came after a trial that opened with prosecutors accusing Robinson of using thousands of dollars in federal grant money, intended for her nursing school, on personal expenses.

Fifteen of 20 counts, those involving theft and embezzlement, were dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl Lipman after the prosecution completed its case last week. Based on motions filed by Robinson’s defense team, Lipman found prosecutors had failed to prove their case on those counts.

With her family and attorneys surrounding her, hours after the verdict, Robinson maintained her innocence of the remaining counts on which she was convicted.

“First, let me say that I entered this process knowing that I am innocent and still maintain that I am innocent,” Robinson said at a press conference at the Falls building Downtown Thursday afternoon. “I also still maintain that I was targeted for prosecution.”

She also said she was “disappointed” in the verdict and that she and her defense team plan to continue to fight.

“I am disappointed that the jury did not find in my favor with the remaining four counts of what was once a 48-count indictment alleging that I stole $600,000 from the government,” Robinson said, noting that in the end, there were only five counts alleging she stole $3,484 -- from her own business.

“Of those five counts, three of them resulted from data entry reports my organization was responsible for. I hoped that today -- after a year of allegations, accusations, harassment and persecution at the hands of the prosecution -- that it would have been a verdict that would end this nightmare in its entirety. That didn’t happen, but the fight is far from over.”

Robinson also thanked her family, attorneys and constituents, saying she has not made a decision on “how to move forward” in regard to her seat in the Senate but will decide soon.

Larry Laurenzi, one of three defense attorneys along with Mathew Jehl and Janika White, said as early as next week they plan to file a motion asking a district judge for a new trial and might also appeal. 

“We strongly feel that the jury did not get it right, that the jury got it wrong. We feel that, in fact, somehow the burden fell upon us to prove her innocence. We feel that was wrong,” Laurenzi said.

Robinson’s family and friends sobbed in the hallway after the verdict. State Sen. Sara Kyle said: “It is a sad day. She is a good friend and colleague and I continue to stand by her.”

In addition to Kyle, other legislative colleagues present included state Reps. London Lamar, Antonio Parkinson, Torrey Harris and Jesse Chism.

None of the jury of eight women and four men would comment afterward they were dismissed.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally said he thinks the Democratic state senator for District 33 should step down.

“While Sen. Robinson’s convictions did not stem from actions taken while in office, they are nevertheless very serious,” he said. “As public servants, we are held to a higher standard. My personal opinion is that it would be in the best interest of the state and her constituents for Senator Robinson to step down at this time.”

Robinson was indicted in 2020, accused of using $600,000 in federal grant money from the Health Resources and Services Administration intended for her business, The Healthcare Institute. Robinson allegedly used the money for multiple personal expenses, including her wedding, legal fees and a divorce. 

Thursday’s verdict followed Robinson’s testimony Tuesday, Sept. 28, when she said her name was “dragged through the mud” with the nearly five-year investigation. 

Judge grants acquittal on 15 charges against Robinson

Her accountant testified she did not spend federal grant funds on personal expenses, instead using profits from the school she owned on the expenses. 

Prosecutors spent days going over spreadsheets and data with its key witness, FBI forensic accountant Victoria Howell.

After Lipman’s decision following the prosecution’s case, theft and embezzlement charges were stricken from the evidence and jurors was told they could not consider that evidence. 

The five wire fraud charges accused Robinson of electronic payments to two vendors for her wedding, a makeup artist who did the makeup for her bridal party and a caterer at her wedding.

Prosecutors alleged she used grant money to pay for the services, which she told her accountant were for a community-patient event and not for her wedding. Prosecutors also accused her of fraud involving scholarships and student enrollment. 

They claimed annual performance reports submitted electronically to the agency that governs the federal grant money contained false information about student enrollment and scholarships. Prosecutors claimed she inflated student numbers to keep getting funding. 

Robinson still faces federal charges in another case in which she was indicted along with Katie Ayers and Brooke Boudreaux.

The three are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, allegedly conspiring to use The Healthcare Institute to defraud Boudreaux’s boyfriend out of $14,470.

A report hearing on that case is scheduled for Oct. 14.