Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01863/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01863-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 625
Nature of Suit: Drug Related Seizure of Property
Cause of Action: 21:881 Forfeiture Property-Drugs

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McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

KRISTIN S. DOOR, SBN 84307

Assistant U.S. Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2723

Attorney for Plaintiff

United States of America

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, )2:05-CV-1863 DFL/JFM

)

Plaintiff, )JOINT STATUS

)(PRETRIAL SCHEDULING)

V. )CONFERENCE REPORT; 

APPROXIMATELY $42,811.00 IN UNITED )JOINT REQUEST FOR STAY AND

STATES CURRENCY, )ORDER THEREON

)TIME: N/A

Defendant. )DATE: N/A

___________________________________)COURTROOM: N/A

Pursuant to this Court's Order of September 16, 2005, the

parties submit the following Joint Status (Pretrial Scheduling)

Report:

A. THE NATURE OF THE CASE:

Plaintiff seeks to forfeit the defendant property under 21

U.S.C. § 881(a)(6) on the theory that the defendant currency was

furnished or intended to be furnished in exchange for a

controlled substance (marijuana) or represents proceeds traceable

to such an exchange, or was used or intended to be used to

facilitate a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) et seq. 

B. PROGRESS IN THE SERVICE OF PROCESS:

Rebel Gurreri, Jesse Colt Gurerri, and Steven John Ogletree,

potential owners of the defendant property, were personally

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served with the Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem, Notice of

Complaint, Application and Order for Publication, and Court

Notices on October 4, 2005. Only Rebel Gurreri has filed a claim

to the property. Rebel Gurreri filed an Answer on November 23,

2005.

C. POSSIBLE JOINDER OF ADDITIONAL PARTIES:

None. 

D. ANY EXPECTED OR DESIRED AMENDMENT OF PLEADING:

None. 

E. JURISDICTION AND VENUE:

This Court's jurisdiction is based on 28 U.S.C. §§ 1345 and

1355, and 21 U.S.C. § 881.

F. ANTICIPATED MOTIONS AND THE SCHEDULING THEREOF:

The parties jointly request a stay of this matter.

1. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(g)(1), 981(g)(2) and 21

U.S.C. § 881(i) the parties seek a stay of discovery in this

case. The United States contends that the defendant currency,

which was seized from claimant Rebel Guerreri, is the proceeds of 

drug trafficking activities. 

2. The Placer County District Attorney has filed criminal

drug charges against Rebel Guerreri, (People v. Rebel Guerreri,

No. 62-050298) and a motion to suppress evidence, including the

defendant currency, is currently pending in state court. If that

motion is granted and all or some of the evidence is suppressed,

the United States will have to reconsider whether to proceed with

this forfeiture action. 

3. In addition, the United States intends to depose

claimant Guerreri and to serve written discovery on her. If

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discovery proceeds while the criminal charges are pending,

claimant would be placed in the difficult position of either

invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and

losing the ability to pursue her claim to the defendant currency,

or waiving her Fifth Amendment right and submitting to a

deposition and potentially incriminating herself in the pending

criminal matter. If she invokes her Fifth Amendment right, the

United States will be deprived of the ability to explore the

factual basis for the claim she filed with this court. 

4. In addition, claimant intends to depose Placer County

law enforcement officers who were involved in the investigation

of Rebel Guerreri. Allowing depositions of the law enforcement

investigators involved in the criminal investigation and

prosecution would adversely affect the ability of the Placer

County law enforcement officials to properly prosecute their 

case.

5. Accordingly, the parties recognize that proceeding with

this action at this time has potential adverse affects on the

prosecution of the related-criminal case and/or upon claimant's

ability to prove her claim that the defendant currency belongs to

her, and that it came from a legitimate source. For these

reasons, the parties jointly request that this matter be stayed

until the conclusion of the criminal case currently pending in

state court. 

G. ANTICIPATED DISCOVERY AND THE SCHEDULING THEREOF,

INCLUDING:

(1) what changes, if any, should be made in

the timing, form, or requirements for

disclosure under Rule 26(a), including a

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statement as to when disclosures under Rule

26(a)(1) were made or will be made;

(2) the subjects on which discovery may be

needed, when discovery should be completed,

and whether discovery should be conducted in

phases or be limited to or focused upon

particular issues;

(3) what changes, if any, should be made in

the limitations on discovery imposed under

the Civil Rules and what other limitations,

if any, should be imposed;

(4) the timing of the disclosure of expert

witnesses and information required by Rule

26(a)(2);

As stated above, the parties jointly request a stay of this

matter pending the outcome of the criminal case against claimant

Guerri now pending in Placer County Superior Court. 

H. FUTURE PROCEEDINGS, INCLUDING SETTING APPROPRIATE

CUT-OFF DATES FOR DISCOVERY, LAW AND MOTION, AND THE

SCHEDULING OF PRETRIAL AND TRIAL:

Since the parties have requested a stay, the parties do not

believe the case should be scheduled at this time.

I. APPROPRIATENESS OF SPECIAL PROCEDURES:

None.

J. ESTIMATE OF TRIAL TIME:

Not applicable.

K. MODIFICATION OF STANDARD PRETRIAL PROCEDURES SPECIFIED

BY THE RULES DUE TO THE RELATIVE SIMPLICITY OR

COMPLEXITY OF THE ACTION OF PROCEEDINGS:

The parties request a stay pending the outcome of the state

prosecution.

//

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L. WHETHER THE CASE IS RELATED TO ANY OTHER CASE, 

INCLUDING ANY MATTERS IN BANKRUPTCY:

The parties are not aware of any related case.

M. WHETHER A SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE SHOULD BE SCHEDULED:

The parties do not believe a settlement conference is

appropriate in this case.

N. ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY ADD TO THE JUST AND

EXPEDITIOUS DISPOSITION OF THIS MATTER:

None. 

Date: 11/29/05

McGREGOR SCOTT 

United States Attorney

By /s/ Kristin S. Door

KRISTIN S. DOOR

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Date: 11/29/05 /s/ David Weiner

DAVID WEINER

Attorney for claimant

Rebel Gurreri

ORDER

For the reasons set forth above, this matter is stayed

pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(g)(1), 981(g)(2) and 21 U.S.C. §

881(i) until the related criminal case currently pending in state

court is resolved.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated:12/6/2005 /s/ David F. Levi 

DAVID F. LEVI

Chief Judge

United States District Court

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