Luis Enrique Cano v. Federal Bureau of Investigation, et al.

District Court, C.D. California·Decided March 26, 2026·No. 2:25-cv-05444·Unknown

Opinion

LUIS ENRIQUE CANO, No. 2:25-cv-05444-AB-AJR

Plaintiff, MEMORANDUM DECISION v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF MOTION TO DISMISS WITHOUT LEAVE TO AMEND Defendants. AND DISMISSING ACTION

I. INTRODUCTION On November 26, 2024, pro se Plaintiff Luis Enrique Cano (“Plaintiff”) filed a civil action (the “Complaint”) in the Los Angeles County Superior Court against Defendants Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and “U.S. Bank Trust National Associate” (“U.S. Bank”). (Dkts. 1; 1-1 at 2.)1 On June 16, 2025, Defendant FBI removed the action from the Los Angeles County Superior Court to this Court

1 The Court cites to the CM/ECF pagination on the top of each page. defendant in the state-court Complaint, the record reflects that U.S. Bank had not appeared in the action prior to removal and has not appeared in this Court. On June 27, 2025, Defendant FBI filed a Motion to Dismiss the Complaint (the “Motion”), originally filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, supported by the Declaration of Alexander L. Farrell, attached exhibits, and a Request for Judicial Notice. (Dkts. 10 – 10-8.) On July 10, 2025, Plaintiff filed a letter with attached exhibits that, while difficult to decipher, appears intended as an opposition to the Motion. (Dkt. 17.) On July 21, 2025, the Magistrate Judge ordered Plaintiff to file an opposition to the Motion by August 11, 2025, and cautioned that failure to do so could be deemed consent to granting the Motion. (Dkt. 19.) The Magistrate Judge further advised Plaintiff that the Motion sought dismissal of the action in its entirety. (Id.) On August 25, 2025, Plaintiff filed another letter with an attached exhibit that appears intended as an opposition to the Motion. (Dkt. 24.) On September 16, 2025, the Magistrate Judge again ordered Plaintiff to respond to the Motion and warned that failure to do so could be deemed consent to granting the Motion. (Dkt. 27.) The Magistrate Judge set a response deadline of October 7, 2025. (Id.) On September 29, 2025, Plaintiff filed another letter with attached exhibits that appeared intended as an opposition to the Motion. (Dkt. 29.) On October 3, 2025, Defendant filed a Reply. (Dkt. 30.) Plaintiff subsequently filed additional letters on October 15, 2025, and December 3, 2025, which also appear to be further oppositions to the Motion. (Dkts. 31, 32.) For the reasons set forth below, the Court orders as follows: (1) Defendant FBI’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint is GRANTED (Dkt. 10); (2) Defendant FBI’s Request for Judicial Notice is GRANTED (Dkt. 10-6); (3) the Complaint is DISMISSED WITHOUT LEAVE TO AMEND as to all defendants (Dkt. 1-1); and (4) Judgment shall be entered DISMISSING THIS ACTION WITHOUT II. PLAINTIFF’S ALLEGATIONS IN THE COMPLAINT The allegations in the Complaint are sparse, disjointed, and largely unintelligible. Plaintiff appears to assert claims against Defendant FBI involving alleged wiretapping, fraud, and collusion. (Dkt. 1-1 at 3.) However, the Complaint does not contain intelligible factual allegations supporting these claims. The Complaint consists, in its entirety, of the following allegations: Color of law- collusion 24/7 wiretap, computer invasion & sabotage, continuance of conspiracy collusion or artifice used to circumvent, cheat, or deceive another person whereby, that person acts upon it to the loss of his property & to his legal right. Section 242 Color of Law Title 18, case #20stcv06379 Section 242 Color of LAW Title 18, case #24NWUD00389 Continuance of Conspiracy, Section 242 Color of Law Title 18, Case #2-24CV8385-AB-AVR. (Id.) Plaintiff appears to cite to 18 U.S.C. § 242, a federal criminal statute addressing deprivations of rights under color of law, and references several state and federal case numbers. (Id.) The Complaint does not explain the relevance of those case numbers or describe how Defendant allegedly violated Plaintiff’s rights. As relief, Plaintiff seeks “quiet title.” (Id.) The Complaint does not identify any specific property interest or explain how Defendant’s alleged conduct relates to any dispute concerning title to property. Defendant FBI moves to dismiss the Complaint on several grounds. (Dkt. 10.) First, Defendant argues that the Court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction because suit against the FBI. (Id. at 7.) Defendant contends that, absent an unequivocal waiver, sovereign immunity bars claims against federal agencies. (Id.) Second, Defendant further argues that Plaintiff appears to rely on 18 U.S.C. § 242, a criminal statute that does not provide a private right of action and therefore cannot serve as a basis for civil liability. (Id. at 7-8.) Third, Defendant argues that the Court lacks jurisdiction under the derivative jurisdiction doctrine because Plaintiff originally filed this action in state court and the state court lacked jurisdiction over claims asserted against a federal agency. (Id. at 8.) According to Defendant, because the Los Angeles County Superior Court lacked jurisdiction over Plaintiff’s claims against the FBI, this Court likewise lacks jurisdiction following removal under 28 U.S.C. § 1442. (Id.) Finally, Defendant argues that dismissal is warranted for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction because the Complaint fails to present a cognizable case or controversy under Article III. (Id. at 8-9.) Defendant contends that Plaintiff’s allegations are unintelligible, implausible, and wholly insubstantial, and therefore fail to establish any injury in fact fairly traceable to the FBI or redressable by this Court. (Id.) Plaintiff filed several documents that appear intended to oppose the Motion to Dismiss. (Dkts. 17, 24, 29, 31, 32.) These filing include a 28-page filing consisting of a notice, various documents, and a “Letter of Opposition (Proceed with case #2:25-cv-05444).” (Dkt. 29 at 12.) Plaintiff’s filings do not meaningfully respond to any of the legal arguments raised in Defendant’s Motion. Defendant filed a Reply, arguing that Plaintiff’s opposition does not address the jurisdictional defects identified in the Motion to Dismiss and does not cure the deficiencies in the Complaint. (Dkt. 30.) Defendant further argues that Plaintiff’s filings continue to rely on conclusory allegations and materials unrelated to any viable claim against the FBI and therefore do not establish a basis for this Court’s jurisdiction. (Id.) To survive a motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), “a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (internal quotation marks omitted). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id.; Hartmann v. Cal. Dep’t of Corr. & Rehab., 707 F.3d 1114, 1122 (9th Cir. 2013). “The plausibility standard is not akin to a probability requirement, but it asks for more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully.” Mashiri v. Epsten Grinnell & Howell, 845 F.3d 984, 988 (9th Cir. 2017) (internal quotation marks omitted). The Court ordinarily must construe a pro se litigant’s pleading liberally and hold a pro se plaintiff “to less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers.” See Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007) (internal quotation marks omitted). The Court must

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Luis Enrique Cano v. Federal Bureau of Investigation, et al., (C.D. Cal. 2026).

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