Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00457/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00457-1/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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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-00457 WBS/KJM

)

Plaintiff, ) 

) STIPULATION FOR STAY 

v. ) AND ORDER [Proposed]

) 

REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1903 )

MELO ROAD, MT. SHASTA, ) 

CALIFORNIA, SISKIYOU COUNTY, )

APN: 36-200-041, INCLUDING )

ALL APPURTENANCES AND ) DATE: May 7, 2007

IMPROVEMENTS THERETO, ) TIME: 1:30 p.m.

) COURTROOM: 5

 Defendant. )

______________________________)

Plaintiff United States of America and claimants Ronald

Hennig, Patience, Inc., and America's Servicing Company as

nominee for Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.

(hereafter "ASC"), hereby stipulate that a stay is necessary in

the above-entitled action, and request that the Court enter an

order staying all further proceedings pending the outcome of a

related criminal case against Claimant Ronald Hennig now pending

in Siskiyou County. 

1. Claimant Ronald Hennig, individually and as the

Case 2:07-cv-00457-WBS -KJM Document 16 Filed 04/27/07 Page 1 of 4
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president of Patience, Inc. filed a claim to the defendant

property on April 10, 2007, and filed an Answer to the Verified

Complaint For Forfeiture In Rem on April 23, 2007. Claimant

America's Servicing Company filed a claim to the defendant

property on April 18, 2007, and filed a Corrected Answer to the

Complaint on April 19, 2007. Claimant Hennig is currently a

defendant in People of the State of California v. Ronald T.

Hennig and Loma Lee Brookbank, case number 07-549 in Siskiyou

County. No other parties have filed a claim in this forfeiture

action.

2. 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 further proceedings in

this case. The United States contends that the defendant real

property was used to facilitate a violation of federal drug laws

(cultivation of marijuana) and is therefore forfeitable to the

United States. The United States intends to depose Claimant

Hennig about the claim he filed in this case and the facts

surrounding the cultivation of marijuana plants on this property

and the seizure of more than 35 pounds of processed marijuana. 

If discovery proceeds, Claimant Hennig 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 and the defenses raised in his

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Answer. 

3. In addition, Claimant Hennig intends to depose law

enforcement officers who were involved in the execution of the

state search warrant at the defendant property. Allowing

depositions of these officers would adversely affect the ability

of the county law enforcement officials to properly prosecute the

case.

4. 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

Hennig's ability to prove his claim to the property and to

contest the government's allegations that the property is

forfeitable. For these reasons, the parties jointly request that

this matter be stayed until the conclusion of the criminal case

now pending in Siskiyou County Superior Court. 

5. While this case is stayed, Claimant Hennig agrees to

keep current all payments due to Claimant ASC under the

promissory note dated February 28, 2005, in the original

principal amount of $90,000.00, and secured by the deed of trust

recorded in Siskiyou County on March 4, 2005, encumbering the

defendant property. In addition, he agrees to pay all property

taxes when due and agrees to keep all property insurance covering

the defendant property in force. 

6. In the event claimant Hennig defaults in his

obligations as set forth in ¶ 5, claimant Hennig agrees to join

any government motion for interlocutory sale of the defendant

property. The term "default" shall mean any default under the

note and deed of trust encumbering the defendant property and any

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other documents executed by Claimant Hennig in connection

therewith.

Dated: April 25, 2007 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

By /s/Kristin S. Door

KRISTIN S. DOOR

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Attorneys for Plaintiff

United States of America

Dated: April 25, 2007 /s/ Brenda Grantland

BRENDA GRANTLAND

Attorney for Claimant 

Ronald Hennig

Dated: April 26, 2007 /s/ Glenn H. Wechsler

GLENN H. WECHSLER

Attorney for claimant

America's Servicing Company as

Nominee for Mortgage Electronic

Registration Systems, Inc.

(Original signatures of claimants'

attorneys retained by plaintiff's

counsel)

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.

The scheduling conference scheduled for May 7, 2007, is

continued to November 5, 2007 at 2:00 p.m.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 27, 2007

Case 2:07-cv-00457-WBS -KJM Document 16 Filed 04/27/07 Page 4 of 4