Opinion ID: 2995229
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Allegation of Selective Prosecution

Text: At time of trial, Alanis’s co- conspirators--Moore and Selke--had not been prosecuted, and Alanis asserts that the reason he was prosecuted and they were not is that he is Hispanic. Alanis moved to dismiss based on selective prosecution and the district court denied the motion. We review a district court’s decision to deny a motion to dismiss an indictment for an abuse of discretion. See United States v. McMutuary, 217 F.3d 477, 481 (7th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 121 S. Ct. 502, 148 L. Ed. 2d 471 (2000). Criminal defendants bringing selective prosecution claims must show that the federal prosecutorial policy had a discriminatory effect and that it was motivated by a discriminatory purpose. United States v. Hayes, 236 F.3d 891, 895 (7th Cir. 2001) (quotation omitted). To establish discriminatory effect, the defendant must show that similarly situ ated individuals of a different race were not prosecuted. Id.; see also Chavez v.