CHICAGO -- A federal judge has given prosecutors an additional three months to obtain an indictment in Gov. Rod Blagojevich's corruption case.

Chief Judge James Holderman granted the extension Monday, saying the case against Blagojevich is too complex to expect prosecutors to obtain an indictment by a Jan. 7 deadline. He set an April 7 deadline instead.

Holderman says "the ends of justice served by the extension outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendants to a speedy trial."

He says prosecutors need more time to present evidence to a grand jury.

Blagojevich and his former chief of staff, John Harris, are charged with plotting to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Barack Obama's election and other offenses.