Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02221/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02221-1/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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 1 JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR STAY

LAWRENCE G. BROWN

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

Attorneys for Plaintiff

United States of America

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) 2:09-cv-2221 FCD-KJM

 )

Plaintiff, ) JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER

 ) FOR STAY

v. ) 

 ) 

APPROXIMATELY $24,790.00 IN )

U.S. CURRENCY, ) DATE: N/A

 ) TIME: N/A

Defendant. ) COURTROOM: N/A

________________________________)

Plaintiff United States of America and claimants Sartaj

Singh and Gurjit Kaur submit the following Joint Request for Stay

and request that the Court enter an order staying all further

proceedings in this civil forfeiture action until the proceedings

in the related criminal case, U.S. v. Sartaj Chahal et al., 2:09-

cr-125 FCD, have concluded. The parties request this stay for

the following reasons: 

1. The parties request this stay pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§

981(g)(1) and 981(g)(2). The United States contends that the

defendant currency is forfeitable to the United States because it

is the proceeds of drug trafficking. The details of the

underlying criminal investigation are set forth in the Verified

Case 2:09-cv-02221-KJM-DB Document 13 Filed 10/28/09 Page 1 of 3
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 2 JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR STAY

Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem filed on August 11, 2009. 

Claimants deny these allegations.

2. The defendant currency was seized on or about March 4,

2009, at claimants’ residence in Tracy, California, during the

execution of a federal search warrant.

3. The United States intends to depose claimants about the

claims they filed in this case and the facts surrounding claimant

Chahal’s alleged involvement in the distribution of MDMA

(“Ecstasy”) and the seizure of the defendant currency. If

discovery proceeds, claimant Chahal would be placed in the

difficult position of either invoking his Fifth Amendment right

against self-incrimination and losing the ability to protect his

alleged interest in the defendant property, or waiving his Fifth

Amendment right and submitting to a deposition and potentially

incriminating himself in the pending criminal matter. If

claimant invokes his Fifth Amendment right, the United States

will be deprived of the ability to explore the factual basis for

the claim he filed in this action. 

4. In addition, claimants intend to depose law enforcement

officers who were involved in underlying drug-trafficking

investigation, and the execution of the federal search warrant at

the claimants’ residence. Allowing depositions of these officers

would adversely affect the ability of the federal government to

properly prosecute the 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 claimants’ 

ability to prove their claims to the property and to contest the

Case 2:09-cv-02221-KJM-DB Document 13 Filed 10/28/09 Page 2 of 3
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 3 JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR STAY

government's allegations that the property is forfeitable. 

6. For these reasons, the parties jointly request that

this matter be stayed until the related criminal case has

concluded. Within 30 days after the conclusion of the related

criminal case claimants will file their Answer to the Verified

Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem, and the parties will submit a

joint status report addressing the matters set forth in the

August 11, 2009, Order Requiring Joint Status Report.

Dated: October 27, 2009 LAWRENCE G. BROWN 

United States Attorney

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Dated: October 27, 2009 /s Emmanuel Enyinwa

EMMANUEL ENYINWA

Attorney for claimants

Sartaj Chahal and Gurjit Kaur

(Original signatures retained in

Plaintiff's file)

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 the

conclusion of the related criminal case. Within 30 days after

the criminal case has concluded claimants will file their Answer

to the Verified Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem, and the parties

will submit a joint status report addressing the matters set

forth in the August 11, 2009, Order Requiring Joint Status

Report.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 28, 2009

Case 2:09-cv-02221-KJM-DB Document 13 Filed 10/28/09 Page 3 of 3