GOSHEN — Prosecutors have withdrawn a plea deal that would have put the former mayor on probation for a year after he admitted to violating campaign reporting laws.

Allan Kauffman, 75, pleaded guilty last month to filing a fraudulent report as a Level 6 felony. The former Goshen mayor and school board member was one of five people charged with violating campaign finance rules following the 2022 council race.

Kauffman, Roger Nafziger, Jose Elizalde, Mario Garber and Andrea Johnson were charged in February with filing disclosure forms that were deemed fraudulent. The forms contained false information about the identity of a financial contributor to a campaign committee, investigators said.

Kauffman appeared for sentencing Wednesday in Elkhart County Superior Court 3. But the state withdrew the plea offer because of a disagreement over whether he could request that his charge be treated as a misdemeanor rather than a felony.

It was something his co-defendants were allowed to do after pleading guilty, but Elkhart County Deputy District Attorney Kaitlynn Campoli insisted it wasn’t on the table for Kauffman. She indicated that his offense may be treated as a misdemeanor later, but that it must be treated as a felony at sentencing.

His lawyer, Peter Britton, said he strongly disagreed with the claim that it was not discussed. He said he would speak with Kauffman and negotiate with the state again.

Judge Teresa Cataldo set Kauffman’s next hearing for Jan. 15.

The terms of Kauffman’s Oct. 9 plea included a 365-day suspended sentence, two weekends in a community-oriented work program and 50 hours of community service. Five counts of accepting a contribution made on behalf of another person, a Class B misdemeanor, would be dismissed.

Before Thursday’s sentencing hearing wrapped up, Britton outlined the mitigating factors that should weigh in Kauffman’s favor. They included several letters written on behalf of the longtime public official by a range of people, including former mayors and prosecutors, as well as doctors, business owners and ethics lawyers.

Britton argued that the crime was not one Kauffman would ever repeat because of his failing health and because he had lost his taste for public service and helping others’ campaigns. Britton said Kauffman did not act to enrich himself and was transparent with investigators.

Britton also read a letter Kauffman wrote in which he took responsibility for violating election law and apologized to his co-defendants for the turmoil they experienced after accepting funds and followed his instructions. Kauffman distributed campaign funds to the four candidates that they used to send postcards urging Goshen voters to reject three school board hopefuls who won the endorsement of the far-right activist group Purple for Parents.

The money had originally been raised by a retired educator who did not want her name attached to the donation for fear of reprisals. Campaign finance reports identified Kauffman as a contributor.

The investigation into Kauffman and the others began after the candidates named in the email filed a complaint with the county board of elections.

“I feel the most remorse for affecting the lives of those who trusted me,” Kauffman wrote.