Former Oakes Farm exec facing decades in prison asks for sentencing delay — again

Steven A. Veneziano Jr., the former Oakes Farm executive who pleaded guilty last year to committing Covid fraud, is asking a federal judge to delay his sentencing — for the fourth time.

In a filing this week, Veneziano’s attorney asked that the scheduled Oct. 26 sentencing be pushed back at least four months. The filing was a joint motion, meaning prosecutors agree with the request.

“The parties believe that additional information that the court should consider at the time of Mr. Veneziano’s sentencing has not been, and will not be, fully developed by the currently scheduled sentencing date,” the Sept. 15 motion says.

What that information is was not disclosed in the filing, but it is the same language used in previous requests.

What is known is that Veneziano is working with prosecutors in an investigation related to the plea deal.

Veneziano pleaded guilty last year to one charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges stemmed from a case involving a $5.18 million fraud against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Coronavirus Food and Assistance Program.

Each count carries a potential 20 years prison sentence.

Before the Oct. 26 sentencing date was set, he was scheduled first for a Nov. 17, 2025, hearing and then one on March 23. That was pushed back to July 26.

Veneziano, who was an executive with Oakes Farm and now lives in California, is also facing claims in a federal lawsuit that he stole millions from his former employer, Naples businessman and political gadfly Alfie Oakes. Veneziano has disputed those charges in court papers arguing he “engaged in numerous fraudulent schemes, at the direction of Alfie Oakes, for the benefit” of Oakes, himself, and other co-conspirators.

“These criminal schemes include, but are not limited to, government contract fraud, government relief program fraud, crop insurance fraud, wire fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering,” the filing states.

Oakes Farms is an agribusiness with just under 3,000 acres of farmland in Collier, where it grows fruits and vegetables. It also owns the popular Seed-to-Table farm market on Immokalee Road in Naples.

There is no set time for the judge to rule on the motion to push back the sentencing.