Feb. 3—Rueben Schwartz will not face a jury of his peers as previously scheduled in February, after the trial date in his case was delayed yet again earlier this week.

Before Wednesday’s pre-trial conference, Schwartz’s attorneys moved to delay the trial date again.

The motion states both sides are moving toward a resolution in the case, but there is still significant work to be done before the case could be settled with a written plea agreement.

The motion is is intended to give the parties time to work through the issues to resolve the case.

After the conference, Judge Donald C. Nugent, who is overseeing the case, granted the motion, delaying the trial until May 28.

Schwartz, a Conneaut businessman, was arrested in May 2022 and indicted on one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. He was accused of conspiring with Marc Mahoney to conduct cash purchases of properties in Conneaut, using the proceeds from the distribution of controlled substances, according to the indictment.

In December 2022, Schwartz was indicted again, this time charged with a variety of crimes related to a fire that destroyed the former Golden Anchor building. The indictment claims that Schwartz prepared the building for the fire by covering the windows and stacking flammable materials against the walls, then had a conspirator use a directional heater to set fire to the building.

Schwartz allegedly then submitted insurance claims totaling $1.14 million for the construction of a new beverage drive-through business.

The superseding indictment charged Schwartz with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, one count of use of fire in commission of a felony, one count of destroying or damaging property used in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to use fire in commission of a felony, one count of conspiracy to destroy or damage property used in interstate commerce, ten counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property and one count of money laundering conspiracy.

The indictment seeks forfeiture of $15,000 in cash seized from Schwartz’s home in February 2022, the Port District Beverage building located on Harbor Street, 43.6 acres of land on Underridge Road and a home on Underridge Road.

Schwartz is currently in custody pending trial. Prosecutors successfully argued that he was a danger to the community, citing threats to witnesses and law enforcement.

His attorneys filed a motion in May of last year to reconsider the decision, but the judge in the case rejected the request, stating that no condition or combination of conditions could protect the community from danger if he were to be released.