1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Thomas H. Bienert, Jr. (admitted pro hac vice)

 tbienert@bklwlaw.com 

Whitney Z. Bernstein (admitted pro hac vice)

 wbernstein@bklwlaw.com 

BIENERT KATZMAN LITTRELL WILLIAMS LLP 

903 Calle Amanecer, Suite 350 

San Clemente, CA 92673 

Telephone: (949) 369-3700 

Facsimile: (949) 369-3701 

Attorneys for James Larkin 

Paul J. Cambria, Jr. (admitted pro hac vice)

 pcambria@lglaw.com 

Erin McCampbell Paris (admitted pro hac vice)

 eparis@lglaw.com 

LIPSITZ GREEN SCIME CAMBRIA LLP 

42 Delaware Avenue, Suite 120 

Buffalo, New York 14202 

Telephone: (716) 849-1333 

Facsimile: (716) 855-1580 

Attorneys for Michael Lacey 

[Additional counsel listed on next page] 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 

United States of America, 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

Michael Lacey, et al., 

Defendants. 

 CASE NO. 2:18-cr-00422-PHX-DJH 

JOINT STATUS REPORT RE: 

NOVEMBER 2, 2022 TRIAL SETTING 

CONFERENCE 

 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 1 of 8
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

JOINT STATUS REPORT RE: NOVEMBER 2, 2022 TRIAL SETTING CONFERENCE

Bruce S. Feder (AZ Bar No. 004832) 

 bf@federlawpa.com 

FEDER LAW OFFICE, P.A. 

2930 E. Camelback Road, Suite 160 

Phoenix, Arizona 85016 

Telephone: (602) 257-0135 

Attorney for Scott Spear 

Gary S. Lincenberg (admitted pro hac vice)

 glincenberg@birdmarella.com 

Ariel A. Neuman (admitted pro hac vice)

 aneuman@birdmarella.com 

Gopi K. Panchapakesan (admitted pro hac vice)

 gpanchapakesan@birdmarella.com 

BIRD, MARELLA, BOXER, WOLPERT, NESSIM, 

DROOKS, LINCENBERG & RHOW, P.C. 

1875 Century Park East, 23rd Floor 

Los Angeles, California 90067-2561 

Telephone: (310) 201-2100 

Facsimile: (310) 201-2110 

Attorneys for John Brunst 

David Eisenberg (AZ Bar No. 017218) 

 david@deisenbergplc.com 

DAVID EISENBERG PLC 

3550 N. Central Ave., Suite 1155 

Phoenix, Arizona 85012 

Telephone: (602) 237-5076 

Facsimile: (602) 314-6273 

Attorney for Andrew Padilla 

Joy Malby Bertrand (AZ Bar No. 024181) 

 joy.bertrand@gmail.com 

JOY BERTRAND ESQ LLC 

PO Box 2734 

Scottsdale, Arizona 85252 

Telephone: (602) 374-5321 

Facsimile: (480) 361-4694 

Attorney for Joye Vaught 

 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 2 of 8
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

3

JOINT STATUS REPORT RE: NOVEMBER 2, 2022 TRIAL SETTING CONFERENCE

On October 27, 2022, counsel for Defendants and the government met and conferred 

to discuss a trial schedule, as directed in this Court’s order at Dkt. 1470. Given defense 

counsel’s other trial conflicts set forth below, the parties request that the Court start trial in 

this matter in late March or early April 2023. Defense counsel’s ability to commence trial 

at that time assumes and is conditioned upon defense counsel’s criminal trials having 

concluded in (1) United States v. Meshkin, et al. (C.D. Cal.), (2) State v. Henson, et al.

(Maricopa County Superior Court), and (3) United States v. Caruso, et al. (D. Ariz.). 

Additionally, if trial begins in late March or early April 2023, the parties agree to be dark on 

April 10 for Mr. Cambria’s religious observance and on April 28 for Mr. Bienert’s son’s 

college graduation. For the Court’s reference, defense counsel submits the below chart of 

conflicts between January 31 and May 19, 2023. 

Case / Attorney(s) 

# of 

Defendants Trial Start Date Court Trial Duration

U.S. v. Meshkin, et al., 8:21-

CR-00112-JLS – Thomas 

Bienert, Jr. (counsel for James 

Larkin)

6 January 24, 2023 Central District 

of California

6-8 weeks (note 

that this is the 

third trial date 

scheduled in 

this matter; 

prior trial dates 

were Sept. 2021 

and Oct. 2022).

U.S. v. John Hutchins, et al., 22-

CR-42-JLS-JJM – Paul 

Cambria, Jr. (counsel for 

Michael Lacey)

 2 January 27, 2023 

(in-person court 

appearance) 

Western 

District of New 

York

N/A 

State v. Henson, et al., Case No. 

CR2021-002107-009 – Joy 

Bertrand (counsel for Joye 

Vaught)

27 February 15, 

2023 

Maricopa 

County 

Superior Court

30-35 days 

U.S. v. Caruso, et al., CR-20-

165-PHX-JJT – David 

Eisenberg (counsel for Andrew 

Padilla)

 2 March 21, 2023 District of 

Arizona 

2 weeks 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 3 of 8
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

4

JOINT STATUS REPORT RE: NOVEMBER 2, 2022 TRIAL SETTING CONFERENCE

Case / Attorney(s) 

# of 

Defendants Trial Start Date Court Trial Duration

H-Indy, LLC, et al. v. The 

Department of Business & 

Neighborhood Services of the 

Consolidated City of 

Indianapolis, Indiana, et 

al., Case No. 49D12-1805-PL020443 – Paul Cambria, Jr. 

(counsel for Michael Lacey) 

March 21-22, 

2023 

Marion County 

Superior Court

2 days (action 

commenced on 

May 24, 2018) 

U.S. v. Quiboloy, et al., 2:20-

CR-00079 – Thomas Bienert, Jr. 

(counsel for James Larkin), 

Gary Lincenberg & Gopi 

Panchapakesan (counsel for 

John Brunst)

8 March 21, 2023 Central District 

of California

at least 3 weeks 

(note that there 

is a joint 

stipulation 

pending to 

continue trial to 

2024) 

Arbitration – David Eisenberg 

(counsel for Andrew Padilla)

April 17 – April 

28, 2023 

 

Harrison v. Lambrecht, et 

al., Case No. CV2017-012162 – 

Bruce Feder (counsel for Scott 

Spear)

3 May 16, 2023 Maricopa 

County 

Superior Court 

2 weeks (note 

that trial in this 

matter has been 

continued at 

least 3 times 

because of 

potential 

conflicts with 

the instant case) 

Other commitments Feb. 28 - March 

4 (ABA White 

Collar Crime 

Conference) – 

Mr. Lincenberg 

March 2-6 

(charitable 

commitments) – 

Mr. Cambria 

April 10 

(religious 

observance) – 

Mr. Cambria 

 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 4 of 8
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

5

JOINT STATUS REPORT RE: NOVEMBER 2, 2022 TRIAL SETTING CONFERENCE

Case / Attorney(s) 

# of 

Defendants Trial Start Date Court Trial Duration

Other commitments (con.) April 25-26 (S.D. 

Cal. District 

Conference) – 

Ms. Bernstein 

April 28 (son’s 

college 

graduation) – 

Mr. Bienert 

DATED: October 28, 2022 Respectfully submitted, 

Thomas H. Bienert Jr. 

Whitney Z. Bernstein 

Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP

By: /s/ Whitney Z. Bernstein

Whitney Z. Bernstein 

Attorneys for James Larkin

Pursuant to the District’s Electronic Case Filing Administrative Policies and 

Procedures Manual (October 2020) § II (C) (3), Whitney Z. Bernstein hereby attests that all 

other signatories listed, and on whose behalf this filing is submitted, concur in the filing’s 

content and have authorized its filing. 

DATED: October 28, 2022 Gary S. Lincenberg 

Ariel A. Neuman 

Gopi K. Panchapakesan 

Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, 

Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow, P.C.

By: /s/ Gary S. Lincenberg

Gary S. Lincenberg 

Attorneys for John Brunst

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 5 of 8
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

6

JOINT STATUS REPORT RE: NOVEMBER 2, 2022 TRIAL SETTING CONFERENCE

DATED: October 28, 2022 Paul J. Cambria 

Erin McCampbell Paris 

Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP

By: /s/ Paul J. Cambria

Paul J. Cambria 

Attorneys for Michael Lacey

DATED: October 28, 2022 Feder Law Office, P.A. 

By: /s/ Bruce S. Feder

Bruce S. Feder 

Attorney for Scott Spear

DATED: October 28, 2022 The Law Office of David Eisenberg, PLC 

By: /s/ David Eisenberg

David Eisenberg 

Attorney for Andrew Padilla

DATED: October 28, 2022 Joy Bertrand Esq. LLC 

By: /s/ Joy Malby Bertrand

Joy Malby Bertrand 

Attorney for Joye Vaught

DATED: October 28, 2022 GARY M. RESTAINO 

United States Attorney 

District of Arizona

By: /s/ Andrew C. Stone

Assistant U.S. Attorney 

 ANDREW C. STONE 

KEVIN M. RAPP 

MARGARET PERLMETER 

PETER S. KOZINETS 

DAN G. BOYLE 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 6 of 8
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

7

JOINT STATUS REPORT RE: NOVEMBER 2, 2022 TRIAL SETTING CONFERENCE

KENNETH POLITE 

Assistant Attorney General 

Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice 

AUSTIN M. BERRY 

Trial Attorney 

U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 7 of 8
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

I hereby certify that on October 28, 2022, I electronically transmitted the attached 

document to the Clerk’s Office using the CM/ECF System for filing and transmittal of a 

Notice of Electronic Filing to the CM/ECF registrants who have entered their appearance as 

counsel of record. 

/s/ Whitney Z. Bernstein 

Whitney Z. Bernstein 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1487 Filed 10/28/22 Page 8 of 8