Former District Attorney Walter Reed must report to prison May 17, to begin serving his four-year sentence on corruption and fraud charges.

U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon agreed Friday to give Reed, 72, an additional one-month delay before he goes to prison. Reed was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Reed is scheduled to have surgery today, April 17, and is asking for 30 days after that to recover, according to court filings.

Reed’s attorney, Richard Simmons, filed a court motion that said medical testing had shown a need for surgery to “remove a cancerous condition.”

Reed has been out on bond, pending his appeal for more than two years since his initial sentencing. He was convicted three years ago on 18 counts of corruption and fraud.

He was the district attorney for the 22nd Judicial District for 30 years. The district serves Washington and St. Tammany parishes.

Reed has said he will be assigned to the prison in Morgantown, W.Va.