Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01405/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01405-2/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, ) 2:07-01405 WBS/EFB

 ) 

Plaintiff, ) STIPULATION TO CONTINUE

 ) STATUS CONFERENCE AND 

v. ) ORDER THEREON [PROPOSED]

 ) 

REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 80 )

COON CREEK ROAD aka LOT 0-21, ) 

COON CREEK ROAD, BURNT RANCH, )

CALIFORNIA, TRINITY COUNTY, )

APN: 008-770-11-000, INCLUDING )

ALL APPURTENANCES AND )

IMPROVEMENTS THERETO, ) DATE: December 17, 2007

 ) TIME: 2 p.m.

 Defendant. ) COURTROOM: 5 )

Plaintiff United States of America and claimant Roy Gazaway

jointly request that the status conference now scheduled for

December 17, 2007, be continued approximately 60 days. This

request is based on the following:

1. This is an in rem action in which the plaintiff seeks

to forfeit the defendant property because it was being used to

manufacture marijuana in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841)(a)(1) and

is therefore forfeitable pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(7).

2. Claimant Roy Gazaway is the beneficiary of a promissory

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note in the original principal amount of $103,142.00 executed by

Ronald Dale Nortrup and his wife Jeanne Nortrup. The note is

secured by a deed of trust encumbering the defendant property.

3. Plaintiff made multiple attempts to personally serve

the Verified Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem and related

documents on the Northrups but were unsuccessful. Thereafter, on

August 23, 2007, plaintiff sent the Complaint and related

documents to the Northrups by certified mail but Ronald Nortrup’s

mail was returned to plaintiff as unclaimed. The “Domestic

Return Receipt” (the “green card”) for the mail sent to Jeanne

Nortrup shows that “Jeanne Bass” signed for Jeanne Nortrup’s mail

on August 29, 2007. Plaintiff believes that “Bass” is Jeanne

Nortrup’s maiden name.

4. After making unsuccessful attempts to serve Ronald

Nortrup, plaintiff learned that Nortrup is in state custody in

High Desert State Prison in Susanville, California. Accordingly,

on September 13, 2007, plaintiff re-sent the Complaint and

related documents by certified mail to Nortrup in prison and to

Ben Okin, an attorney in Weaverville, California, believed to be

representing Nortrup. The “green cards” show that Okin received

the documents on September 17, 2007, and the documents were

received at the prison on September 15, 2007.

5. On or about September 21, 2007, Ronald Nortrup sent a

letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Officer about this forfeiture. 

However, the letter was not filed with the court and does not

comply with the procedural rules requiring that a person who

wishes to contest a forfeiture must file a claim to the property

under penalty of perjury and must file an Answer to the

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Complaint. On November 30, 2007, undersigned counsel sent Ronald

Nortrup a letter advising of the deficiencies in his letter;

providing him with copies of the two federal rules relating to

claims and answers; and giving him until the close of business on

December 17, 2007, to file a claim and answer that comply with

the federal rules.

7. Under the rules applicable to in rem forfeiture

actions, Jeanne Nortrup’s claim was due September 27, 2007, and

her answer was due 20 days thereafter. See Rule G(5) of the

Supplemental Rules for Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset

Forfeiture Actions. 

8. Jeanne Nortrup has contacted this office several times

receiving the complaint and related notices on August 29, 2007,

but to date has not filed a claim and answer. Plaintiff will be

seek the entry of a Clerk’s Default, pursuant to Rule 55(a) of

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure within the next week.

9. Since plaintiff has given Ronald Nortrup additional

time to file his claim and answer in this action, the parties

request that the status conference be continued one more time. 

If Ronald Nortrup does not file a claim and answer by December

17, 2007, plaintiff will seek his default and will attempt to

resolve Roy Gazaway’s claim. Accordingly, the parties to this

//

//

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stipulation request that the status conference be continued

approximately 60 days. 

Dated: November 30, 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: November 30, 2007 MORRISON, MORRISON & COOPER

By /s/ Daniel E. Cooper DANIEL E. COOPER

Attorneys for claimant

Roy L. Gazaway

(Original signature retained

by plaintiff’s counsel)

ORDER

Good cause having been shown, the status conference

scheduled for December 17, 2007, is continued to February 25,

2008 at 2:00 p.m. IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 5, 2007

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