Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00974/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00974-4/pdf.json

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

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1

McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

KRISTIN S. DOOR, SBN 84307

Assistant United States Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916)554-2723

Attorneys for Plaintiff

United States of America

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, )

 ) 2:07-CV-00974 LKK/KJM

Plaintiff, ) 

 ) STIPULATION TO EXTEND STAY

v. ) AND ORDER 

 ) 

REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6874 )

ALMANOR LAKE ESTATES DRIVE, ) 

LAKE ALMANOR, CALIFORNIA, )

PLUMAS COUNTY, APN: )

106-114-011, INCLUDING ALL )

APPURTENANCES AND IMPROVEMENTS )

THERETO, )

 )

 Defendant. )

________________________________)

 )

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, )

 ) 2:07-CV-00975 LKK/KJM

Plaintiff, ) 

 ) 

v. ) 

 ) 

REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1066 )

EATON ROAD, CHICO, CALIFORNIA, ) 

BUTTE COUNTY, APN: 007-250-088, )

INCLUDING ALL APPURTENANCES AND )

IMPROVEMENTS THERETO, ) 

 ) 

 Defendant. )

________________________________)

//

//

Case 2:07-cv-00974-LKK -KJM Document 31 Filed 03/10/08 Page 1 of 6
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2

 ) 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, )

 ) 2:07-CV-001039 LKK/KJM

Plaintiff, ) 

 ) 

v. ) 

 ) 

REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3077 )

NORD AVENUE, CHICO, CALIFORNIA, ) 

BUTTE COUNTY, APN: 042-050-047, )

INCLUDING ALL APPURTENANCES AND )

IMPROVEMENTS THERETO, )

 )

 Defendant. )

________________________________)

Plaintiff United States of America, and the claimants in the

three cases described above (Peter Buchanan, Kurt and Monica

Karst, individually and as the trustees of the Karst Family

Revocable Trust, and Bank of America in the Almanor Lakes Estates

action; James and Tamara Robertson, Peter Buchanan, and Kurt and

Monica Karst in the Eaton Road action; and Peter Buchanan and

Paris and Arlus Moore in the Nord Avenue action) submit the

following Stipulation to Extend Stay and Order (Proposed). The

Stipulation to Extend Stay is based upon the following:

1. The actions described in the captions above are all

related and are related to two other forfeiture actions involving

personal property: U.S. v. 2001 Ford Excursion et al., 2:07-2050

LKK/KJM, and U.S. v. 2004 Honda ATV, et al., 2:07-2124 LKK/KJM. 

A Related Case Order was entered on November 8, 2007.

2. A stay was entered in U.S. v. 2001 Ford Excursion et

al., 2:07-2050 LKK/KJM, and U.S. v. 2004 Honda ATV, et al., 2:07-

2124 LKK/KJM until August 1, 2008, pursuant to the stipulation of

the parties in those two actions due to an on-going criminal

investigation involving claimants (other than lienholders Bank of

America and Paris and Arlus Moore). 

Case 2:07-cv-00974-LKK -KJM Document 31 Filed 03/10/08 Page 2 of 6
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3. The parties in the three real property forfeiture

actions request that these actions also be stayed until August 1,

2008, since they are all related and arise out of the same

criminal investigation.

4. 18 U.S.C. § 981(g)(1) expressly provides that upon

motion of the United States the court “shall stay the civil

forfeiture action if the court determines that civil discovery

will adversely affect the ability of the government to conduct a

related criminal investigation.” Similarly, 18 U.S.C. §

981(g)(2) expressly provides that upon motion of a claimant, the

court shall stay the civil forfeiture action if the court

determines that a claimant is the subject of a related criminal

investigation; the claimant has standing to assert a claim in the

civil forfeiture action; and continuation of the forfeiture

proceeding will burden the claimant’s right against selfincrimination. 

5. The United States contends that the defendant real

properties were used to facilitate the cultivation of marijuana

and are therefore forfeitable to the United States. The United

States intends to depose the claimants about the claims they

filed in this case and their involvement in the cultivation and

distribution of marijuana. If discovery proceeds, claimants

would be placed in the difficult position of either invoking

their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and losing

the ability to protect their alleged interest in the defendant

property, or waiving their Fifth Amendment rights and submitting

to depositions and potentially incriminating themselves in the

on-going criminal investigation. If claimants invoke their Fifth

Case 2:07-cv-00974-LKK -KJM Document 31 Filed 03/10/08 Page 3 of 6
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Amendment rights, the United States will be deprived of the

ability to explore the factual basis for the claims they filed in

this action and the defenses raised in their Answers. 

6. In addition, claimants intend to depose law enforcement

officers who were involved in the investigation that ultimately

led to searches at the defendant properties. Allowing

depositions of these officers would adversely affect the ability

of the United States to conduct its related criminal

investigation. 

 7. Accordingly, the parties contend that proceeding with

this action at this time has potential adverse affects on the

investigation and possible prosecution of the related criminal

case and/or upon claimants' ability to prove their claim to the

property and to contest the government's allegations that the

property is forfeitable. For these reasons, the parties request

that this matter be stayed until August 1, 2008, so that all the

related cases are stayed during the same period. 

8. In addition, the parties in the Almanor Lakes Estates

action are actively involved in preparing a stipulation and

proposed order permitting the interlocutory sale of the property. 

The stipulation and proposed order will be submitted to the court

as soon as the parties agree on the terms of the sale. The

parties do not intend that the stay the parties are seeking in

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Case 2:07-cv-00974-LKK -KJM Document 31 Filed 03/10/08 Page 4 of 6
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this Stipulation to Extend Stay will interfere in any way with

the interlocutory sale. 

DATED: March 5, 2008 McGREGOR W. SCOTT 

United States Attorney

By: /s/ Kristin S. Door KRISTIN S. DOOR

Assistant U.S. Attorney

DATED: March 5, 2008 BLACKMON & ASSOCIATES

By /s/ Clyde Blackmon

CLYDE BLACKMON

Attorney for claimant

Peter Buchanan (as a

lienholder in Eaton Road and

owner in Almanor Lake

Estates and Nord Avenue)

DATED: March 5, 2008 /s/ William G. Panzer

WILLIAM G. PANZER

Attorney for claimants

James M. Robertson and

Tamara Robertson (Eaton Road)

DATED: March 5, 2008 /s/ Brenda Grantland

BRENDA GRANTLAND

Attorney for claimants

Kurt and Monica Karst

Individually and as the 

Trustees of the Karst Family

Revocable Trust (as

lienholders in Eaton Road and 

owners in Almanor Lakes 

Estates)

//

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Case 2:07-cv-00974-LKK -KJM Document 31 Filed 03/10/08 Page 5 of 6
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DATED: March 5, 2008 JACOBS, ANDERSON, POTTER &

CHAPLIN, LLP

By /s/ Douglas B. Jacobs

DOUGLAS B. JACOBS

Attorney for claimants

Arlus and Paris Moore

 (Lienholder in Nord Avenue)

DATED: March 5, 2008 PITE DUNCAN LLP

By /S/ Steven J. Melmet

STEVEN J. MELMET

Attorney for claimant Bank of

America (lienholder in 

Almanor Lakes)

ORDER

For the reasons set forth above, this matter is stayed

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

2008, 2008. The parties will advise the court at least 10 days

prior to August 1, 2008, whether a further stay is necessary. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 7, 2008.

Case 2:07-cv-00974-LKK -KJM Document 31 Filed 03/10/08 Page 6 of 6