Judge denies Burnsville defendant's request to be released from jail in Feeding Our Future case

U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel on Monday denied Mukhtar Shariff's request to be released from jail about two weeks after a jury convicted him and four others of federal child nutrition program fraud.

Shariff's attorneys argued in court documents that the 33-year-old Burnsville married father of two young children isn't a flight risk because he surrendered his passport and has been a U.S. citizen almost his whole life after immigrating from Somalia at age 5.

All seven defendants connected to a Shakopee restaurant who were on trial recently were placed in custody before the jury reached its verdict because of an attempted bribe of a juror. A woman gave a juror $120,000 in cash and told her she would receive more money if she voted to acquit. The juror immediately reported the incident to police and was excused from jury duty.

https://www.startribune.com/judge-denies-burnsville-defendants-request-to-be-released-from-jail-in-feeding-our-future-case/600375822/