Opinion ID: 771933
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 2 In August 1990, the government charged Christakis in a five-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The indictment was based in part on evidence that the government gathered from a wiretap on Christakis's phone. The government's application to the district court for wiretap authorization specifically requested that the wiretap cover not only Christakis's communications, but also the communications of Dario DiCesare, another individual that the government believed to be engaging in drug trafficking. 3 The district court authorized the wiretap pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 2518 after the government established that there was probable cause to believe that Christakis and DiCesare, along with several other individuals, were engaged in drug trafficking in Los Angeles. The government also made an adequate showing that normal investigative procedures had been tried without success, and that Christakis's and DiCesare's phones were being used in connection with the drug trafficking offenses. 4 The government's application for wiretap authorization was supported by the affidavit of Special Agent Kelly (SA Kelly). In the affidavit, SA Kelly related information that he had received from a confidential informant to the effect that DiCesare had been obtaining cocaine from Colombian drug traffickers, and that he was using different individuals to handle the collection of his drug debts. The affidavit suggests that DiCesare was the head of this particular drug trafficking orga-nization. In 1989, the Drug Enforcement Agency arrested DiCesare for possession with intent to sell eleven grams of cocaine. DiCesare was convicted of the charge in 1990, and incarcerated at the Federal Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Los Angeles. 5 In the affidavit, SA Kelly also recounted how Lynn D'Andrea--Christakis's on and off girlfriend--informed him that DiCesare was talking to Christakis several times a day from the MDC. D'Andrea told SA Kelly that DiCesare has placed the money aspect of his drug operation in the hands of Christakis. Despite evidence indicating the DiCesare was involved in the same drug conspiracy as Christakis, the government did not indict DiCesare. 6 Christakis challenged the indictment by moving to suppress the wiretap evidence and requested a Franks hearing. 1 The court granted his request for a Franks hearing, but ultimately found that SA Kelly's statements about the need for the wiretap were true, and denied Christakis's motion to suppress. 2 On December 4, 1990, Christakis entered a conditional guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute cocaine in violation of 28 U.S.C. 846, but reserved the right to appeal his motion to suppress the wiretap evidence pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(a)(2). Christakis had two prior felony convictions, which made him eligible for a career offender enhancement. The court sentenced him as a career offender to 292 months imprisonment in May 1991. 7 Christakis was represented by attorney Victor Sherman from the time of his arrest in July 1990 through the time of sentencing in May 1991. Sherman also represented DiCesare at various times, although the record is incomplete with respect to the extent of Sherman's representation of DiCesare. The record suggests that Sherman's relationship with DiCesare dates back at least to 1983, when DiCesare was arrested for narcotics violations and the police seized several envelopes containing cash bearing Victor Sherman's name. The record also reflects that Sherman represented DiCesare when he was arrested in September 1989 and charged with distribution of cocaine. 3 Sherman continued to represent DiCesare through his sentencing for this charge on August 13, 1990, one day before the government filed the indictment against Christakis. The record does not reflect whether Sherman filed an appeal in DiCesare's case. Sherman states in a declaration filed on January 28, 1999 that between August 1990 and September 1998, he provided legal assistance to DiCesare in his efforts pursuant to the Prisoner Transfer Treaty between the United States and Italy to obtain a transfer to Italy to serve the remainder of his prison term. In 1998, DiCesare was transferred to Italy to serve the remainder of his prison term.