Former owner and operator of Metropolis Memorial Gardens Gary Towler was scheduled to be sentenced Friday, but after about two and a half hours of courtroom proceedings, which included testimony from employees from the Illinois Comptroller's office, a motion was made by Towler's attorney Dale Pruett for a continuance.

According to Pruett, there is information in some spreadsheets that he and Towler had not seen before and wanted the time to review those spreadsheets.

Judge Joe Leberman granted the continuance. Towler will be in court again for sentencing on Monday, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m.

Towler has previously pleaded guilty on charges that as licensee of the cemetery, he failed to make appropriate deposits in the pre-need cemetery trust fund, failed to maintain adequate records as required and failed to file an annual audit.