1

 1 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS 

 2 EASTERN DIVISION 

 3

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) No. 12 CR 87-1 

 4 ) 

 Plaintiff, ) 

 5 ) 

v. ) Chicago, Illinois 

 6 ) July 19, 2013 

RONALD WATTS, ) 11:20 a.m. 

 7 ) 

 Defendant. ) Guilty Plea 

 8 

 9 TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS 

BEFORE THE HONORABLE SHARON JOHNSON COLEMAN 

10 

11 APPEARANCES: 

12 For the Government: HON. GARY S. SHAPIRO 

 United States Attorney, by 

13 MS. MARGARET J. SCHNEIDER 

 MS. MEGAN C. CHURCH, 

14 Assistant United States Attorneys 

 219 South Dearborn Street 

15 Chicago, Illinois 60604 

16 

For the Defendant: LAW OFFICES OF THOMAS GLASGOW 

17 1834 Walden Office Square 

 Suite 500 

18 Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 

 BY: MR. WILLIAM B. BEATTIE 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 TRACEY DANA McCULLOUGH, CSR, RPR 

Official Court Reporter 

24 219 South Dearborn Street 

Room 1426 

25 Chicago, Illinois 60604 

(312) 435-5570

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 1 of 20 PageID #:456
 2

 1 THE CLERK: 12 CR 87, USA versus Ronald Watts.

 2 MS. SCHNEIDER: Good morning, Your Honor. Maggie

 3 Schneider and Megan Church on behalf of the United States.

 4 MR. BEATTIE: Good morning, Your Honor. William

 5 Beattie, B-E-A-T-T-I-E, on behalf of Ronald Watts, who's

 6 present to my right.

 7 THE COURT: Mr. Watts. 

 8 DEFENDANT WATTS: Good morning. 

 9 THE COURT: Good morning. And why are we here today? 

10 MS. SCHNEIDER: I believe we are here for Mr. Watts

11 to enter a blind plea of guilty to the information. 

12 MR. BEATTIE: That is correct, Your Honor.

13 THE COURT: All right. And so this matter was set

14 for trial on Monday. And there appears to have been a change,

15 is that correct? 

16 MR. BEATTIE: That's correct, Your Honor. 

17 THE COURT: Raise your hand, please, Mr. Watts.

18 (Defendant duly sworn.)

19 THE COURT: All right. Counsel, I need you to switch

20 with your client.

21 MR. BEATTIE: I certainly will. 

22 THE COURT: All right. Sir, I need you to keep your

23 voice up so the Court can hear you. The Court is going to ask

24 you a series of questions based on the information that I have

25 that you are considering changing your plea today. The Court

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 2 of 20 PageID #:457
 3

 1 needs to make sure you are competent to enter into such an

 2 agreement or such a step. The Court needs to make sure that

 3 you have had the assistance of counsel, which I am certain that

 4 you have. The Court needs to make sure that you understand

 5 what all your trial rights are, what the charges are against

 6 you, that there's a factual basis for whatever plea you decide

 7 to enter. Do you understand?

 8 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 9 THE COURT: During this time if at any time you wish

10 to have a conference with your lawyer, you have any question

11 about what's going on, if you look like you have a question

12 about what's going on, this Court will give you the opportunity

13 and encourage you to step to the side and talk to your lawyer.

14 All right.

15 MS. CHURCH: Yes, ma'am.

16 THE COURT: Also, sir, understand that if -- until

17 you change your plea before this Court, you still have a plea

18 of not guilty, and you can persist in that plea. There is no

19 obligation for you to go through with it. Do you understand

20 that?

21 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

22 THE COURT: It's a blind plea, sir, and so some of

23 the answers you will be asked to give here will be

24 incriminating. And if you give false answers to particular

25 questions, you may be prosecuted for perjury. Do you

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 3 of 20 PageID #:458
 4

 1 understand?

 2 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 3 THE COURT: I'm going to go ahead then, sir. State

 4 your full name.

 5 DEFENDANT WATTS: Ronald Watts, W-A-T-T-S.

 6 THE COURT: And you can just relax. That mike is

 7 going to pick up everything where you are.

 8 DEFENDANT WATTS: All right. 

 9 THE COURT: All right. How old are you, sir?

10 DEFENDANT WATTS: I am 50 years old.

11 THE COURT: And give me the city and the state that

12 you live in.

13 DEFENDANT WATTS: I live in Chicago, Illinois.

14 THE COURT: Are you married, sir?

15 DEFENDANT WATTS: No.

16 THE COURT: How far did you get in your education?

17 DEFENDANT WATTS: I have a masters degree in public

18 safety administration.

19 THE COURT: And so you're able to read and write, is

20 that correct?

21 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

22 THE COURT: Sir, can you tell the Court what type of

23 work you have done in the last three years. 

24 MS. CHURCH: I was a sergeant of police for the City

25 of Chicago.

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 4 of 20 PageID #:459
 5

 1 THE COURT: And would you consider yourself in good

 2 physical health?

 3 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 4 THE COURT: Have you had any medical diagnosis that

 5 this Court needs to be aware of?

 6 DEFENDANT WATTS: No, ma'am.

 7 THE COURT: And are you under medication for any

 8 diagnosis?

 9 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

10 THE COURT: What is that medication?

11 DEFENDANT WATTS: High blood pressure.

12 THE COURT: And does that -- have you taken that

13 medication today?

14 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

15 THE COURT: Is there anything about that medication

16 that would affect your ability to understand what's going on

17 here today?

18 DEFENDANT WATTS: No, ma'am.

19 THE COURT: Have you taken any other drugs, illegal,

20 legal, alcoholic beverages within the last 24 hours?

21 DEFENDANT WATTS: No, ma'am.

22 THE COURT: Have you ever been under the care of a

23 physician or in a hospital for a mental condition?

24 DEFENDANT WATTS: No, ma'am.

25 THE COURT: Mr. Beattie, do you have any doubt as to

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 5 of 20 PageID #:460
 6

 1 your client's competency to change his plea at this time? 

 2 MR. BEATTIE: I do not, Your Honor. I spoke to him

 3 earlier, as did Mr. Glasgow.

 4 THE COURT: Go ahead. 

 5 MR. BEATTIE: Well, Judge -- I'm sorry. No, I do not

 6 have a doubt, Judge. I spoke to Mr. Watts this morning and

 7 Mr. Glasgow did as well.

 8 THE COURT: All right. And does the government have

 9 any doubt as to the competency of Mr. Watts? 

10 MS. SCHNEIDER: We do not, Your Honor.

11 THE COURT: Then the Court finds that Ronald Watts is

12 competent to offer a change of plea at this time. Tell me the

13 name of your lawyer, sir.

14 DEFENDANT WATTS: Thomas Glasgow and Bill Beattie.

15 THE COURT: All right. And you've had enough time to

16 speak to them, is that correct?

17 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

18 THE COURT: And you've told them everything you know

19 about the case?

20 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

21 THE COURT: And you're satisfied with their advice

22 and their efforts on your behalf?

23 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

24 THE COURT: Sir, you have been charged in one count.

25 Am I correct, it's one count? 

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 6 of 20 PageID #:461
 7

 1 MS. SCHNEIDER: Yes, Your Honor.

 2 THE COURT: One count of the indictment. And there's

 3 also a forfeiture count. But one count of the indictment of

 4 stealing and knowingly converting money to your own use. And

 5 that money was -- belonged to the United States in violation of

 6 18 U.S.C. 641 Sections and 2 -- Sections 641 and 2. You have

 7 discussed this indictment with your counsel, is that correct?

 8 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 9 THE COURT: All right. Mr. Beattie, without

10 referring to the facts of this case, can you tell the Court in

11 general what you talked to with your client about the charges.

12 MR. BEATTIE: About the charges, Judge, we have

13 informed Mr. Watts both what the substance and the nature of

14 the charges were. We've reviewed the evidence that has been

15 provided to us with Mr. Watts as to this and all the other

16 evidence that the government has provided us. We did discuss

17 with Mr. Watts the burden of proof that the prosecution has in

18 this matter. We did discuss with Mr. Watts the government's

19 proffer of the case and the evidence that they indicated that

20 they intended to bring to bear at trial. And we did discuss

21 with Mr. Watts his right that he had to testify or not to

22 testify and again the burden of proof that the prosecution has

23 in this matter.

24 THE COURT: All right. Thank you. And, Mr. Watts,

25 the Court notes that you were present for the pretrial

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 7 of 20 PageID #:462
 8

 1 conference in this case, and that you -- the Court believes you

 2 do understand that you have certain trial rights when you pled

 3 not guilty. You do understand that, is that correct?

 4 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 5 THE COURT: All right. And those trial rights are

 6 given to you by the Constitution and the laws of the United

 7 States. And at this moment, still at this moment you have a

 8 right to proceed to trial. Do you understand that?

 9 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

10 THE COURT: You have a right to persist in your plea

11 of not guilty, go to trial, have a speedy trial, to see and

12 hear all witnesses called against you. To use the subpoena

13 power of the Court to present witnesses on your own behalf, and

14 you have a right to have your lawyer cross-examine and question

15 witnesses called against you. Do you understand that?

16 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

17 THE COURT: You understand, sir, that at all times

18 you would be presumed innocent. You would not have to prove

19 your innocence. It would be the government that would have to

20 prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by competent

21 evidence. Do you understand that?

22 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

23 THE COURT: Do you understand, sir, that if you chose

24 to have a trial, you would have a right not only to present

25 evidence on your own behalf, but you'd have a right to testify

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 8 of 20 PageID #:463
 9

 1 in your own behalf if you chose to do so? You would also have

 2 a right not to testify in your own behalf, and that choice

 3 could not be used as guilt, as an indicator of guilt on your

 4 behalf. Do you understand that?

 5 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 6 THE COURT: Do you understand, sir, that if you went

 7 to trial by jury, you would have a right to -- you would have

 8 12 persons on that jury. The persons would be drawn from

 9 citizens from the Northern District of Illinois. They would be

10 brought to this courtroom. This Court would question them at

11 length about their qualifications. And you and your lawyer

12 would be present along with the government and have a chance to

13 have input into that questioning. And after those questions

14 and answers were given, you would have the opportunity to ask

15 for certain of those persons to be disqualified based on biases

16 or other disqualifying factors. Do you understand?

17 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

18 THE COURT: You understand the government would have

19 the same right to excuse potential jurors based on bias or

20 disqualifying factors? Do you understand that?

21 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

22 THE COURT: You also would have the right after

23 listening to the answers of all of the potential jurors to ask

24 that a limited number of persons be excused just because you

25 felt they couldn't be fair to your case. Do you understand

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 9 of 20 PageID #:464
 10

 1 that?

 2 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 3 THE COURT: And the government would have that same

 4 right to have a limited the number of persons excused on that

 5 basis. Do you understand?

 6 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 7 THE COURT: After the jury was impaneled, the

 8 evidence would be presented to the jury. And after they heard

 9 all of the evidence, they would be given the law from this

10 Court, and then they would go to deliberate. And during those

11 deliberations, they would have to give consideration to the

12 count against you and they would have to go into it presuming

13 your innocence. And it is only after they deliberated and

14 looked at all of the evidence and determined whether or not the

15 government proved your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt that

16 they would reach a verdict. And if it was one of guilty, it

17 would have to be beyond a reasonable doubt that they would have

18 to -- the standard they would have to use. Do you understand

19 that?

20 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

21 THE COURT: You would also have the right, sir, to

22 have a bench trial, meaning a trial by the judge. There would

23 be no jury. I would try the case. This Court would hear the

24 evidence. This Court would review the evidence and apply it to

25 the law without any jury being involved. Do you understand

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 10 of 20 PageID #:465
 11

 1 that?

 2 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 3 THE COURT: You understand if you went to trial

 4 before this Court, you'd have the same rights you would have

 5 before a jury trial. To be presumed innocent at all times, and

 6 that the government would be held to the same burden of proof

 7 beyond a reasonable doubt. You would have a chance to testify

 8 in your own behalf or not testify. And if you chose not to

 9 testify, that would not be held against you. Do you understand

10 that?

11 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

12 THE COURT: You understand, sir, that if you were

13 convicted by this Court or by a jury, at the close of the case

14 you would have a right to appeal a guilty conviction? Do you

15 understand that?

16 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

17 THE COURT: Do you understand, sir, that if you

18 decide to plead guilty today, you waive all the trial rights I

19 have given to you? Meaning they go away. You will not have

20 the chance to go back and do a do over to say I want a trial

21 now. Do you understand that?

22 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

23 THE COURT: Do you understand, sir, if you decide to

24 plead guilty here and I accept your plea of guilty, not only

25 will there not be a trial, this Court will enter a finding of

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 11 of 20 PageID #:466
 12

 1 guilty and then proceed to sentence you on the basis not only

 2 of your plea, but on the basis of considering a presentence

 3 investigation report, which will be very thorough. I will hear

 4 the arguments presented in writing and orally by your counsel,

 5 by the government's counsel. The Court will look at the

 6 maximum possible sentences, the advisory guidelines, and the

 7 3553 (a) factors to make sure that the Court fashions a

 8 sentence that is sufficient but not greater than necessary in

 9 your case. Do you understand that?

10 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

11 THE COURT: Is there a plea agreement or a plea

12 declaration? 

13 MS. SCHNEIDER: Judge, we have an agreed factual

14 basis that I can read.

15 THE COURT: All right. Again, but there is no

16 written plea agreement?

17 MS. SCHNEIDER: There is not, Your Honor.

18 MR. BEATTIE: There is not, Your Honor. We did have

19 a chance to review the state's -- forgive me, the government's

20 declaration with Mr. Watts before Your Honor arrived this

21 morning. 

22 THE COURT: All right. 

23 MR. BEATTIE: So we've reviewed that.

24 THE COURT: But since there has been no written plea

25 agreement, sir, your intention is to enter a plea without any

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 12 of 20 PageID #:467
 13

 1 agreement as to any outcome, any parameters, any sentence from

 2 the government; is that correct?

 3 MR. BEATTIE: Judge --

 4 DEFENDANT WATTS: May I have a moment, please.

 5 THE COURT: Yes. 

 6 (Brief pause.)

 7 THE COURT: Counsel, you want to take a moment to

 8 talk to your client?

 9 MR. BEATTIE: Judge, yes. 

10 (Brief pause.)

11 MR. BEATTIE: One moment, Judge.

12 THE COURT: Take all the time you need, Counsel.

13 (Brief pause.)

14 MR. BEATTIE: Thank you for your time, Judge.

15 THE COURT: Once again the Court needs to know are

16 there any agreements or promises that have been made to cause

17 you, Mr. Watts, to enter into a change of plea?

18 DEFENDANT WATTS: No.

19 THE COURT: And although there appears to be an

20 agreement as to the factual basis that will be read in a few

21 moments to the Court, you have not reached any other agreement

22 with the government, is that correct?

23 DEFENDANT WATTS: That is correct.

24 THE COURT: And you discussed the consequences of

25 your entering into or following up -- following through with

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 13 of 20 PageID #:468
 14

 1 this plea with your lawyer, is that correct?

 2 DEFENDANT WATTS: That is correct.

 3 THE COURT: Will the government please set forth the

 4 maximum possible sentence and the expected advisory guidelines.

 5 MS. SCHNEIDER: Yes, Judge. The maximum sentence in

 6 this case is a sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a maximum

 7 fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more

 8 than 3 years. In addition, the defendant would be required to

 9 pay a $100 special assessment. 

10 With respect to the sentencing guidelines, based on

11 the facts that we expect the defendant to admit to today, the

12 offense level would be a 6, which would result in a guidelines

13 range of zero to 6 months. However, the government intends to

14 offer evidence in support of some additional enhancements that

15 we believe would raise the level likely to a 14, which would be

16 a range of 15 to 21 months imprisonment.

17 THE COURT: All right. And is that your

18 understanding of what the maximum possible punishments are,

19 sir?

20 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

21 THE COURT: And with your counsel is that your

22 understanding of what the government's advisory guidelines

23 calculations are at this point or may be expected to be?

24 MR. BEATTIE: That's correct, Your Honor.

25 THE COURT: All right. Understanding that you would

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 14 of 20 PageID #:469
 15

 1 be presenting your side of what you would be requesting as a

 2 sentence, is that correct?

 3 MR. BEATTIE: That's right, Your Honor. We would

 4 THE COURT: All right. As to this written, written

 5 document with the facts, is there a signature at the close of

 6 that, the plea declaration or no?

 7 MS. SCHNEIDER: Judge it's actually -- it's actually

 8 just my notes. I just wrote up a factual basis to show to them

 9 to see if we could come to an agreement. It's really something

10 to be done orally.

11 THE COURT: All right. So there's no signed plea

12 declaration? 

13 MR. BEATTIE: There is not, Judge.

14 THE COURT: Sir, do you understand that the ultimate

15 decision as to what the sentence will be is this Court's? Do

16 you understand that?

17 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

18 THE COURT: So any recommendations that will come

19 from your lawyer or the government and even the guidelines are

20 merely advisory. That even after you enter this plea, the

21 Court -- it's separate from the Court's sentence, and this

22 Court can enter a sentence that is greater than what is

23 recommended or less. Do you understand that?

24 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

25 THE COURT: Has anyone forced you or threatened you

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 15 of 20 PageID #:470
 16

 1 in any way to cause you to change your plea?

 2 DEFENDANT WATTS: No, ma'am. 

 3 THE COURT: All right. The government want to state

 4 what your factual basis is.

 5 MS. SCHNEIDER: Yes, Judge. If the case were to

 6 proceed to trial, the government would present evidence to

 7 prove that on or about November 21st, 2011 in Chicago,

 8 defendant Ronald Watts and his co-defendant Kallatt Mohammed

 9 stole, purloined, and knowingly converted to their own use

10 approximately $5,200 belonging to the United States, which they

11 were not entitled to receive, in violation of Title 18 United

12 States Code Sections 641 and 2.

13 Specifically the government would prove that in

14 approximately early September of 2011 a cooperating witness,

15 who I'll refer to as the CS, who unbeknownst to Mr. Watts was

16 working with the FBI, told Mr. Watts that he would be

17 transporting money for drug dealers. Mr. Watts told the CS

18 that he wanted to know when the CS would be transporting money

19 for drug dealers so that Watts could steal the money from the

20 CS in exchange for a payment to the CS. At the time Mr. Watts

21 was a Chicago Police sergeant who knew the CS through his work

22 as a police officer.

23 And November 18th of 2011, Mr. Watts was contacted by

24 contacted by the CS to let him know that the CS would be

25 transporting money for drug dealers in the near future. Mr.

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 16 of 20 PageID #:471
 17

 1 Watts told the CS to be sure to call him when he had more

 2 details. On November 21st of 2011 at around 12:45 p.m., the CS

 3 called Mr. Watts and told him that he would be transporting

 4 money for drug dealers that day, and he also gave Watts -- Mr.

 5 Watts the details of where and when he would be doing so. Mr.

 6 Watts told the CS that he would be there. 

 7 Mr. Watts then contacted his co-defendant Mohammed

 8 and asked Mohammed to help with taking the money from the CS.

 9 Mr. Watts told Mohammed to meet the CS and take the bag, and

10 Mohammed agreed to do so. Thereafter at about 1:56 p.m. Mr.

11 Mohammed approached the CS on the 2700 block of south Vernon

12 and took the bag containing the $5,200 from the CS. A short

13 time later Mr. Watts and Mohammed met in the area of 5700 South

14 Princeton Avenue in Chicago, where Watts took a portion of the

15 money from the bag.

16 After Mohammed took the bag from the CS, the CS

17 called Mr. Watts several times to arrange to meet so that the

18 CS could be paid a portion of the money that had been taken.

19 At about 2:42 p.m. Mr. Watts met with the CS in the parking lot

20 of a Walgreens store near 22nd Street and Canal Street in

21 Chicago. At which time he gave the CS $400 in cash, which was

22 a portion of the $5,200 taken from the CS earlier that day.

23 The government would further prove that the $5,200

24 taken from the CS were funds belonging to the United States.

25 THE COURT: You heard the recitation by the

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 17 of 20 PageID #:472
 18

 1 government as to what a factual basis would be for you to

 2 change your plea. Did you hear what she just said?

 3 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 4 THE COURT: Is there any changes that you'd like to

 5 make to that?

 6 DEFENDANT WATTS: No, ma'am.

 7 THE COURT: The Walgreens where? Near Archer? 

 8 MS. SCHNEIDER: It was -- 

 9 THE COURT: Between Archer and Canal or -- there's

10 no -- there is no Walgreens at Canal.

11 MS. SCHNEIDER: Near 22nd and Canal in Chicago. It's

12 in Chinatown.

13 THE COURT: I know exactly where it is. It's just

14 not by Canal. 

15 DEFENDANT WATTS: Right. 

16 THE COURT: So it's close to Archer.

17 MS. SCHNEIDER: You're right. I'm sorry. It's near

18 Cermak and Archer.

19 THE COURT: All right. Thank you. Is there anything

20 else you want to add to the statement or retract from the

21 statement?

22 DEFENDANT WATTS: No, ma'am.

23 THE COURT: All right. Then, sir, it is time for me

24 to ask you what is your plea to the sole count of the

25 indictment?

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 18 of 20 PageID #:473
 19

 1 DEFENDANT WATTS: Guilty.

 2 THE COURT: All right. Mr. Watts, you have stated

 3 you are guilty to Count 1 of the indictment. By acknowledging

 4 that you are, in fact, guilty as charged, that you've had the

 5 assistance of counsel, you know what your trial rights are, you

 6 know what the maximum possible punishments are in this case and

 7 what the advisory guidelines at least at this point are, are

 8 recommending, that you have stated that your action today is

 9 voluntary, the Court accepts your plea of guilty and enters a

10 judgment of guilty on Count 1 of the indictment based on your

11 plea.

12 The Court will set a date for sentencing when, Mrs.

13 Hunt? October what?

14 THE CLERK: October 9th in the afternoon, 1:30.

15 MS. SCHNEIDER: That's fine.

16 THE COURT: Counsel.

17 MR. BEATTIE: That would be great, Judge. Thank you.

18 THE COURT: October 9th at 1:30. Any motion on

19 behalf of the government as to detention?

20 MS. SCHNEIDER: No, Your Honor. The conditions of

21 bond can stand at this time.

22 THE COURT: All right. What I've just asked, Mr.

23 Watts, is you are now convicted of a crime, a felony. And the

24 Court wanted to know if the government was asking that your

25 bond conditions be changed on that basis. They are saying no.

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 19 of 20 PageID #:474
 20

 1 That does not mean that the conditions do not remain in place,

 2 and that any violations of the conditions will not have serious

 3 ramifications. Do you understand that?

 4 DEFENDANT WATTS: Yes, ma'am.

 5 THE COURT: The conditions will stay in place.

 6 October 9th, 2013 at 1:30 for your sentence. We will see you

 7 then, sir. Thank you very much. 

 8 DEFENDANT WATTS: Thank you, ma'am.

 9 MS. SCHNEIDER: Thank you, Your Honor.

10 MR. BEATTIE: Thank you, Your Honor.

11 THE COURT: Thank you, Counsel. The trial is

12 stricken for Monday.

13 CERTIFICATE

14 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true,

15 correct and complete transcript of the proceedings had at the

16 hearing of the aforementioned cause on the day and date hereof.

17 

18 /s/TRACEY D. McCULLOUGH September 4, 2014

19 Official Court Reporter Date

United States District Court

20 Northern District of Illinois

Eastern Division

21 

22 

23 

24 

25

Case: 1:12-cr-00087 Document #: 89 Filed: 11/04/14 Page 20 of 20 PageID #:475