Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06341/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06341-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 690
Nature of Suit: Other Forfeiture and Penalty Suits
Cause of Action: 28:1345 Complaint for Forfeiture

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1

McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

COURTNEY J. LINN

Assistant U.S. Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2700

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,

v.

APPROXIMATELY $185,296.93 IN

U.S. CURRENCY,

Defendant.

CIV-F-03-6341 REC LJO

FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORFEITURE

 

Pursuant to the Stipulation for Final Judgment of

Forfeiture, the Court finds: 

1. This is a civil forfeiture action against approximately

$185,296.93 in U.S. Currency (hereinafter "defendant currency")

seized on April 23, 2003. 

2. A Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem was filed on

September 29, 2003, seeking the forfeiture of the defendant

currency, alleging that said currency is subject to forfeiture to

the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(a)(1)(A) and

(a)(1)(C). 

3. On or about September 29, 2003, the Court issued a

Summons & Warrant of Arrest In Rem for the defendant currency,

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and that warrant was duly executed on January 22, 2004.

4. On February 4, 2004, a Public Notice of Arrest of the

defendant currency appeared by publication in The Business

Journal, a newspaper of general circulation in the county in

which defendant currency was seized (Fresno County). The Proof

of Publication was filed with the Court on March 7, 2005.

5. In addition to the Public Notice of Arrest having been

completed, actual notice of the complaint, Application and Order

for Publication, Summons & Warrant for Arrest In Rem, Affidavit

and Court Notices were personally served upon claimant Martin

Villasenor España (hereinafter "España") on February 3, 2004. In

addition, a courtesy copy of the above-referenced documents was

sent via certified mail to España’s then attorney Harry M.

Drandell, and received on October 3, 2003. 

6. On October 30, 2003, claimant España filed a claim,

contesting the forfeiture of the defendant currency. Because the

civil forfeiture case was related to an ongoing criminal case in

the United States District Court, Eastern District of California,

Case No: CR-F-03-5220 REC, a Stipulation for Extension of Time

for Claimant to Answer Complaint was filed with the Court on

November 18, 2003. The stipulation provided that claimant España

would have until December 19, 2003 to answer or respond to the

Verified Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem. On December 12, 2003,

an Order was entered wherein the civil action was further stayed. 

On November 29, 2004, a plea agreement was entered into between

claimant España, the United States of America, and their

respective counsel, in the related criminal case, U.S. v. Martin

España Villasenor, Case No: CR-F-03-5220 REC. 

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7. The stay of this action has expired. Apart from

claimant España, no other parties have filed claims or answers in

this matter, and the time for which any person or entity may file

a claim and answer has expired. Accordingly, the government also

seeks as part of this stipulated judgment a judgment against all

potential claimants pursuant to Local Rule A-540(d). 

8. In the Memorandum of Plea Agreement Pursuant to Rule

11(C) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure filed on

November 29, 2004, defendant Martin Villasenor España agreed to

plea guilty to Counts Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Seven of

the indictment which charges him with Mail Fraud, in violation of

Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, Count Seventy-three

with Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and County Seventy-six

with Forfeiture in violation of Title 18, United States Code,

Sections 982(a)(1), (a)(2)(A) and (a)(2)(B)

Based on the above findings, and the Court being otherwise

fully advised in the premises, it is hereby 

ORDERED AND ADJUDGED:

1. That the Court adopts the Stipulation for Final Judgment

of Forfeiture entered into by and between the parties to this

action.

2. That upon entry of a Final Judgment of Forfeiture, the

approximately $185,296.93 in U.S. Currency, together with any

interest that may have accrued on that amount, seized on or about

April 23, 2003, shall be forfeited to the United States pursuant

to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A), to be

disposed of according to law.

3. That the interest of claimant España and all other

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potential claimants are extinguished.

4. That plaintiff United States of America and its

servants, agents, and employees and all other public entities,

their servants, agents, and employees, are released from any and

all liability arising out of or in any way connected with the

seizure or forfeiture of defendant currency. This is a full and

final release applying to all unknown and unanticipated injuries,

and/or damages arising out of said seizure or forfeiture, as well

as to those now known or disclosed. The parties to this

stipulation waive the provisions of California Civil Code §1542.

5. That all parties are to bear their own costs and

attorneys’ fees.

SO ORDERED THIS 22 day of March , 2006.

/s/Robert E. Coyle 

ROBERT E. COYLE

United States District Judge

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