Marshall Sanders has been ordered to report to federal prison May 11 to give the Vicksburg attorney time to clear his caseload and allow time for clients to find others to handle their cases.

U.S. Magistrate James Sumner granted the delay after originally ordering Sanders to jail Monday.

In March, Sanders was sentenced to 18 months for failing to file federal income tax returns. His guilty plea in November 2008 was to two misdemeanor counts, reduced from felony indictments. The sentence for one was six months and the other 12 months with the time to be served consecutively.

Sanders, 57, was also ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution. He is to file complete and accurate federal income tax returns for 1995 to the present, as the government alleged more than $1.4 million was owed because none was filed for that period.

Sanders’ status with the Mississippi Bar remains active, according to its Web site. Attorneys charged with misdemeanors can face action from the bar if the crimes involve fraud, dishonesty, misrepresentation, deceit or willful failure to account for a client’s money or property.

*

Contact Danny Barrett Jr. at dbarrett@vicksburgpost.com