Final defendant in Darren Sharper case due back in court

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The final co-defendant in the case against disgraced former NFL star Darren Sharper is due back in court.

After guilty pleas from Sharper and another co-defendant, former St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Licciardi (lih-CHAR’-dee) was left to face trial Friday on federal charges that he distributed drugs with the intent to commit rape.

After guilty or no-contest pleas in four states, Sharper once was expected to spend as little as nine years in prison under a multijurisdiction plea deal.

But U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo rejected that sentence in February. Sharper faces a possible 15 to 20 years arising from allegations he drugged and raped as many as 16 women.

It’s unclear how much his cooperation in cases against his co-defendants will affect his sentencing in August.