Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02482/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02482-2/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 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, ) 2:06-CV-02482 LKK-GGH

)

Plaintiff, ) STIPULATION FOR STAY OF 

) PROCEEDINGS AND ORDER

v. ) 

) 

APPROXIMATELY $30,600.00 IN U.S. ) 

CURRENCY, ) 

) DATE: N/A

Defendant. ) TIME: N/A

 ) COURTROOM: N/A

Plaintiff United States of America and claimant Sheldon

Bidwell [hereafter “Claimant”], by and through their respective

counsel, hereby stipulate that a stay is necessary in the aboveentitled action, and request that the Court enter an order

staying all further proceedings pending the outcome of a related

criminal case now pending in El Dorado County. 

1. Claimant filed a claim to the defendant property and an

Answer to the Verified Complaint For Forfeiture In Rem on March

23, 2007. Claimant is currently a defendant in People of the

State of California v. Sheldon Bidwell, Case No. S06CRF0148, El

Dorado County Superior Court. No other parties have filed a

Case 2:06-cv-02482-LKK -GGH Document 13 Filed 03/30/07 Page 1 of 3
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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 discovery in this

case. The United States contends that the defendant currency,

which was seized from Claimant’s home, is the proceeds of drug

trafficking. The United States intends to depose Claimant about

the claim he filed in this case and the source of this cash. If

discovery proceeds, Claimant 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. 

3. In addition, Claimant intend to depose El Dorado County

law enforcement officers who were involved in the investigation

that led to the state drug charges. Allowing depositions of the

law enforcement investigators involved in the investigation and

prosecution 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's

ability to prove his claim that the defendant currency belongs to

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

reasons, the parties jointly request that this matter be stayed

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until the conclusion of the criminal case now pending in El

Dorado County Superior Court. 

5. Nothing in this stipulation is intended to prevent the

plaintiff from seeking the entry of a default against potential

claimant Jennifer Strauss in accordance with Federal Rule of

Civil Procedure 55(b)(1) or (b)(2).

Dated: March 27, 2007 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

/s/Kristin S. Door

ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY

Attorneys for Plaintiff

United States of America

Dated: March 28, 2007

/s/ Clyde M. Blackmon

CLYDE M. BLACKMON

Attorney for Claimant 

Sheldon Bidwell

(Original signatures 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 previously continued to April 16,

2007 is vacated and will be reset upon request of either party

following the conclusion of the state court criminal proceedings.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 29, 2007.

Case 2:06-cv-02482-LKK -GGH Document 13 Filed 03/30/07 Page 3 of 3