Walt Nauta, assistant to previous president Donald Trump, disembarks Trump’s plane, called Trump Force One, in Bedminster, New Jersey, following a court look at Wilkie D. FergusonJr U.S. Courthouse in Miami, June 13, 2023.
Jabin Botsford|The Washington Post|Getty Images
Walt Nauta, previous President Donald Trump’s valet and co-defendant in the categorized files case, pleaded innocent to 6 criminal charges Thursday at his arraignment in federal court.
Nauta stated little throughout the quick hearing prior to a federal magistrate judge inMiami When asked if he had actually checked out the charges versus him and if he had the ability to talk to an attorney, Nauta responded, “Yes, your honor,” NBC News reported.
The arraignment lasted about 5 minutes.
Nauta entered his plea more than 3 weeks after Trump pleaded innocent to 37 criminal counts associated with his supposed efforts to keep supersecret files after leaving the White House in 2021.
The Navy veteran and assistant to the previous president appeared at that preliminary June 13 court hearing, however he was not arraigned due to the fact that he did not have a regional Florida legal representative there to represent him. Nauta’s arraignment was postponed up until June 27, however that was likewise delayed due to the fact that his flight to Miami was canceled.
In the days prior to the hearing, there was no sign on the criminal docket that Nauta had actually kept regional counsel. But about an hour prior to the arraignment, a source acquainted with the matter verified to CNBC that Nauta would be represented by Sasha Dadan, a criminal defense lawyer in south Florida.
Dadan did not right away react to ask for remark.
Stanley Woodward, an attorney for Nauta who is based in Washington, D.C., decreased CNBC’s ask for remark prior to the hearing.
The indictment from unique counsel Jack Smith implicates Nauta of dealing with Trump to move and conceal boxes consisting of numerous categorized files that were saved at the previous president’s Florida house, Mar- a-Lago, after leaving workplace.
Nauta is charged with conspiracy to block justice, withholding and corruptly hiding files, and making incorrect representations. The most major charges versus Nauta bring 20- year optimum jail terms.
The trial is presently set for mid-August, though professionals anticipate that date will be pressed much later on. Smith has actually asked the court to reschedule the trial to begin inDecember Judge Aileen Cannon has actually provided lawyers for Trump and Nauta up until next Monday to react to Smith’s demand.
