Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_08-cv-00156/USCOURTS-cand-3_08-cv-00156-0/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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IOSEPH P. RUSSONIELLO (CSBN 44332) 

lTnited States Attorney 

3RJAN J. STRETCH (CSBN 163937) 

Zhief, Criminal Division 

SUSAN B. GRAY (CSBN 100374) 

4ssistant United States Attorney 

450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055 

San Francisco, CA 94102 

Telephone: (4 15) 436-7324 

Facsimile: (41 5) 436-6748 

email: Susan.B.Gray@usdoj .gov 

ittorneys for Plaintiff 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

NITED STATES OF AMERICA, NO. C-08-0156 VRW 

Plaintiff, ) 

1 

v. 

1 

1 STIPULATED REQUEST TO STAY 

1 CIVIL FORFEITURE ACTION 

100,2 1 1 IN UNITED STATES CURRENCY; ) DURING PENDING CRIMINAL CASE 

PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. §981(g) 

AND (Proposed) ORDER 

Defendant. 

1 

The United States, by and through its attorney, Assistant United States Attorney Susan B. 

ray, and claimant, Obdulia Diaz, by and through her attorney, Michael E. Hingle hereby submit 

 is stipulated request pursuant to 18 U.S.C.5 98 1(g) for this Court to stay the above-entitled civil 

rfeiture proceeding during the pendency of claimant Obdulia Diaz's state criminal case. The 

~cts in support of this stipulated request are set forth below. 

This is an in rem forfeiture action in which the United States alleges that defendant 

100,2 1 1 in United States currency constitutes proceeds from drug trafficking offenses and/or 

,ere used to facilitate drug trafficking activities and are thus subject to forfeiture, pursuant to 

itle 2 1, United States Code, Section 88 1 (a)(6). Defendant currency was seized following the 

vecution of an arrest warrant at the residence of Ricardo Rodriguez Castro ("Castro") and 

Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 9 Filed 04/16/2008 Page 1 of 4 Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 10 Filed 04/22/08 Page 1 of 4
Ibdulia Diaz ("Diaz") on August 3,2007. The events leading up to the search and seizure of 

lefendant funds are set forth in the civil forfeiture complaint filed on January 9,2008, (Docket 

11) and are incorporated herein by reference. 

On February 19,2008, Claimant Obdulia Diaz filed a verified claim to the defendant 

unds and on March 14,2008, she filed an answer to the complaint. (Docket ## 7 and 8). This 

natter is currently set for a Case Management Conference before this Court on April 24,2008. 

State criminal charges are currently pending against Castro and Diaz in the Superior Court 

)f Santa Clara County. Casto and Diaz are both charged with violations of the California Health 

md Safety Code tj 1 1378-possession for sale of controlled substances, to wit, methamphetamine, 

vith an enhancement for possession of firearms while in the commission of a drug related 

)ffense, California Penal Code fj 12022(c). Although Diaz was previously represented by counsel 

n the state criminal case, on April 2,2008, Michael Hingle, counsel of record in this case, 

,ubstituted in as counsel for Diaz. Diaz had previously filed a Motion to Suppress Evidence, but 

t was removed from calendar upon the substitution of counsel to allow Mr. Hingle time to 

)ecome familiar with the case. The state case is scheduled for jury trial on May 19,2008. It is 

rnclear if the case will actually go to trial on that date. Thereafter, Mr. Hingle will be in trial in 

mother case for several months. Absent an agreed upon plea, counsel for claimant anticipates 

hat there will be no resolution of the state case for approximately five months. 

18 U.S.C. fj 98 1 (g) provides for a stay of civil forfeiture proceedings upon motion of 

:ither the United States or the claimant. Section 98 1 (g) provides in pertinent part: 

(g)(l) Upon the motion of the United States, the court shall stay the civil forfeiture proceeding if 

he court determines that civil discovery will adversely affect the ability of the Government to 

:onduct a related criminal investigation or the prosecution of a related criminal case. 

(2) Upon the motion of a claimant, the court shall stay the civil forfeiture proceeding with 

,espect to that claimant if the court determines that- 

(A) the claimant is the subject of a related criminal investigation or case; 

(B) the claimant has standing to assert a claim in the civil forfeiture proceeding;' and 

1 A determination by the court that the claimant has standing to request a stay pursuant to 

paragraph (2) shall apply only to this subsection and shall not preclude the Government from 

objecting to the standing of the claimant by dispositive motion or at the time of trial. 18 U.S.C.5 

98 1(g)(7). 

STIPULATED REQUEST FOR STAY and PROPOSED ORDER 

2 

Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 9 Filed 04/16/2008 Page 2 of 4 Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 10 Filed 04/22/08 Page 2 of 4
0411 612008 1259 (408) 286-4939 

Ht'K-lb-Wtl 11:20 Froa:US RTTORNEY 

Michael E. Hingle 

4 1543E6748 To : 4P82864939 

Page 46 

P.4/10 

(C) continuation of the forfeiture proceeding will burdm the right of the claimant against 

Counsel for the United States and claimant both agree that proceeding with the civil 

3 

have an adverse impact on thc pcnding state criminal case. Neither party 

4 

ishw to haye their witnesses deposed prior tv the criminaI trial. In particular; continuation of 

5 c civil forfcitu~ proceeding will bdzn thc right of claimant, Obdulia Dim, against self6 

hould the state criminal case settle, the parties will immediately notify the court and quest that 

stay be lifted, The parties also respectlhlly suggest that the Case Management Conference 

11 

scheduled for April 24, at 3:30 p.m. be continued until September 25,2008, at 3:30 p.m. 

8 

Q 

Respectfully submitted, 

ncrimination. 

Accordingly, the parties respectfully xqum this Court to stay the aboveentifled civil I deiture proceeding for a period of five months up to, and including, September 25,2008, 

JOSEPH P. RUSSONIELLO 

Unit~d States Attorney 

16 

I, 

18 

19 

Dated: y/'t @(4f' Assistant United States Attom 

2 0 

2 1 

22 

26 (~RDE.~D that thc abovc-cntitld action is stay-cdpwuant to 18 U.S.C.! 981(g) during the 

~f'w 

MICHAEL 

E. HINGLE 

Attorney for Claimant 

Obdulia Diaz 

23 

24 

2 5 

27 endency of the state criminal case against claimant Obduia Diaz. Case Management P 

(Proposed) ORDER 

GOOD CAUSE APPEARING, and based upon thc forcgoing, it is hereby 

STlWLATBD REQUEST FOR STAY and PROPOSED ORDER 

3 

Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 9 Filed 04/16/2008 Page 3 of 4 Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 10 Filed 04/22/08 Page 3 of 4
Jonference scheduled for April 24,2008, at 3:30 p.m. is continued to September 25,2008, at 3:30 

.m. The parties are directed to immediately notify the Court if the state criminal case against 

laimant Obdulia Diaz is settled or dismissed. 

T IS SO ORDERED. 

VAUGHN R. WALKER 

United States District Judge 

STIPULATED REQUEST FOR STAY and PROPOSED ORDER 

4 

Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 9 Filed 04/16/2008 Page 4 of 4

April 22, 2008

U

NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge Vaughn R Walker

Case 3:08-cv-00156-VRW Document 10 Filed 04/22/08 Page 4 of 4