Court Opinion

ID: 9481786
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 08:31:37.755267+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:48:34.444967
License: Public Domain

WELLFORD, Senior Circuit Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
I concur fully as to defendants Dresner and Ross and would affirm their convictions for the reasons stated by Judge Keith.
I have little doubt that defendants Lash and Tommasi continued to engage in enterprises as questionable as those of UWOG and OGP after they had completely withdrawn from these operations in controversy. The appropriate remedy, however, if each continued to engage in other fraudulent schemes after termination from those with which we are concerned in this appeal, would be for the government to pursue similar charges against them for such conduct after 1984. These other activities of Lash and Tommasi involved somewhat similar “boiler room” types of operations but they were separate and distinct from those of the others involved in the indictment.
*1089I would make no distinction on the facts in this case from the situation in United States v. Nerlinger, 862 F.2d 967 (2d Cir.1988), which involved a voluntary termination and that court’s conclusion that a conspirator had effectually withdrawn from a fraudulent conspiracy by closing an account hitherto used in a fraudulent purpose. That Lash may have been terminated just as effectively concluded his opportunity to further the gas and oil scheme which continued to be pursued by the others. His withdrawal was known to the others involved without any “formal notices of withdrawal to be served upon co-conspirators.” Id. at 974.
I believe as to defendant Lash that the record reflects that he did no work for either operation (USWOG or OGP) after 1983 and this indictment was returned in 1989. That Lash may have received checks from Volcano Mines, a company also connected with Adler, for a few months employment is insufficient, in my view, to counter the clear fact that he was disassociated with and withdrawn from all conspirators who had been actively working in the conspiracies which were the subject of the 1989 indictment. There is no evidence that Lash received any benefit from the “indictment” conspiracy after 1983. I would conclude that Lash’s motion for acquittal should have been granted on statute of limitations grounds.
With regard to Tommasi, again I believe the record reflects that he did sever his relationship with OSWOG (and OGP) in 1983. Tommasi had differences with Adler, the principal operator, and withdrew from further association in 1983. He, too, received no benefits from either operation, or from Adler, after March 1983, more than six years before this indictment was brought. Under the authority of Nerlinger, supra, I would also conclude that a withdrawal took place and that Tommasi should have been acquitted of these charges. His subsequent activity with Lenihan (and others) should be the subject of a separate indictment, if illegal. I find no basis to “neutralize” the fact of a long past withdrawal by reference to other later suspected scheming or “wheeling and dealing” by Tommasi.
I, therefore, would dissent and reverse the convictions of defendants Lash and Tommasi.