A notice filed in the electronic court record does not detail the reasons why, but merely says, “Upon the court's own motion, the sentencing hearing is hereby continued to this court's October 10, 2017, term in Greenville, North Carolina.”

Tillmon, the only Operation Rockfish defendant to not take a guilty plea in the police corruption case, had been scheduled for sentencing Tuesday.

Tillmon won an acquittal last week on two counts of which a federal jury found him guilty.

Howard ruled, however, he would move forward on sentencing the former Windsor police officer on the remaining counts against him.

The remaining defendants in the case, who all took pleas, were sentenced over the course of two days in June.

The acquittal on two of the counts of which the jury found him guilty could mean a new trial on those charges.

The two counts at the center of the acquittal are Counts 33 and 34. Count 33 is a charge of attempted possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin on October 22, 2014.

Count 34 is a charge of carrying a firearm during and in relation to the drug trafficking charged in Count 33.

Howard denied acquittal on three counts of federal programs bribery — Counts 32, 36 and 54.

He also denied acquittal on Counts 1, 2, 48 and 49.

Count 1 is conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin while Count 2 is to use and carry a firearm in Count 1.

Count 48 is attempted possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, on or about March 26, 2015, and Count 49 is to use or carry a firearm in Count 48.