Weiner denies phone records

Published 12:14 am Saturday, July 4, 2009

OXFORD (AP) — Dr. Roger Weiner, a Coahoma County supervisor accused of soliciting prostitutes on SugarDaddyforMe.com, has been denied access to records from a cellular telephone apparently used by an undercover agent involved in a sting operation that led to his arrest.

U.S. Magistrate David A. Sanders on Thursday granted a motion by federal prosecutors to keep the records from Weiner for now.

Federal prosecutors say Weiner thought he was meeting two prostitutes when the FBI arrested him at the Shady Nook truck stop on May 17. Prosecutors say Weiner planned to take the women to his cabin on Moon Lake near Clarksdale.

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Weiner, a prominent Clarksdale cardiologist, was charged with soliciting prostitution across state lines. He has pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled for trial July 27 in Oxford.

Weiner’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a message Friday.

Weiner’s attorneys said in court documents that they wanted the records to determine that the calls were made and the location of the caller at the time the calls were made.

They want the telephone records from May 15 to May 17, which corresponds with dates when Weiner allegedly had conversations with an undercover agent he thought was a prostitute, according to court records.

The U.S. attorney’s office argued during a telephone conference Thursday with Sanders and Weiner’s lawyer that Weiner was not entitled to the records. Sanders agreed but said in his order that the government was likely to provide the information later. If not, Sanders said Weiner can pursue the information again.

The federal investigation began in December when Weiner’s former colleague gave the FBI e-mails from a work computer, according to court records.

An agent began monitoring SugarDaddyForMe.com, which was described as an online chat room for wealthy ‘‘Sugardaddies.’’ Federal agents used messages, allegedly between Weiner and others, to obtain a search warrant to view Weiner’s e-mails.

An undercover agent began communicating with Weiner by computer and telephone and they eventually arranged to meet for a sexual encounter with another supposed prostitute, according to an FBI affidavit. Authorities say Weiner offered to pay the women $400 each.

Weiner is free on $20,000 bond.