United States v. Aversa

769 F. Supp. 24, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19057, 1990 WL 303423
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Hampshire
DecidedOctober 3, 1990
DocketCr. Nos. 90-76-01-S, 90-76-02-S
StatusPublished

This text of 769 F. Supp. 24 (United States v. Aversa) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Aversa, 769 F. Supp. 24, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19057, 1990 WL 303423 (D.N.H. 1990).

Opinion

ORDER

STAHL, District Judge.

Presented for the Court’s consideration are four late-filed motions. The first motion, the Government’s motion in limine, was due no later than August 28, 1990. It was filed on September 20. The second motion, defendant Aversa’s motion for discovery, was due no later than August 3. It was filed on September 28. The third motion, the Government’s motion to strike defendant’s motion for discovery, was due on August 17. It was filed on October 1, and it consists of the Government’s argument that the Court should deny the defendant’s motion for discovery because it was filed late. The last motion, defendant Aversa’s motion to sever, was due on August 28. It was filed on September 21.

[26]*26The Court takes notice of this blatant disregard for the schedule set in the July 25 Pretrial Order. Counsel for both parties are herewith notified that in the future appropriate sanctions will be imposed if orders issued by this Court are not strictly followed.

The Government’s motion to strike is denied. The other motions are addressed below.

Background

These cases arise from a series of banking transactions alleged to have been undertaken by defendants Daniel Aversa and Vincent Mentó from January 9, 1989, to March 13, 1989. It is the government’s contention that the purpose of the transactions was to evade the reporting provisions of 31 U.S.C. § 5313(a), which requires domestic financial institutions to file with the Internal Revenue Service a Currency Transaction Report for each transaction involving currency in excess of $10,000. Most of these transactions (a complicated array of deposits, withdrawals, and transfers) appear to have involved just less than $10,000.

Defendants have been indicted on one count of conspiracy, four counts of illegally structuring currency transactions, and one count of making false statements. In addition, Daniel Aversa has been indicted on one count of attempting to cause a domestic financial institution to file a report containing a material omission or misstatement of fact.

1. MOTION IN LIMINE

The Government asks the Court to prohibit defendants’ counsel from arguing or eliciting testimony during the course of the trial concerning the defendants’ knowledge that “structuring” a currency transaction was illegal. It is the Government’s contention that the structuring statute does not require such knowledge for conviction, and that allowing argument on the issue therefore could serve to mislead the jury as to the applicable law.

The defendants are charged with violating 31 U.S.C. § 5324(3), which provides:

No person shall for the purpose of evading the reporting requirements of section 5313(a) with respect to such transaction-structure or assist in structuring, or attempt to structure or assist in structuring, any transaction with one or more domestic financial institutions.

At issue is whether conviction under this provision requires proof that a defendant actually knew that structuring was illegal or whether the government need only show that a defendant was attempting to evade section 5313(a)’s reporting requirements.

Both the Second and Ninth Circuits have held that knowledge of section 5313(a) and purposely evading its reporting requirements constitute sufficient scienter for conviction under section 5324(3).

The Second Circuit has held that conviction under section 5324(3) should be allowed even if it is not proved that the defendant knew that structuring per se is illegal. United States v. Scanio, 900 F.2d 485 (2nd Cir.1990). The Scanio court reasoned:

In the present case, however, Scanio was not prosecuted for having failed to comply with an obscure reporting requirement; he was charged with having intentionally structured a currency transaction with the explicit purpose of evading what he knew to be the bank’s legal duty to file [Currency Transaction Reports] for all transactions exceeding $10,-000. Scanio engaged in affirmative conduct and demonstrated an awareness of the legal framework relative to currency transactions which, it is reasonable to conclude, should have alerted him to the consequences of his conduct.

Id. at 490. The court then undertook a detailed analysis of the legislative history of § 5324(3) and concluded:

With respect to the applicable mens rea, the legislative history indicates that Congress only intended to require proof that the defendant structured a currency transaction in order to prevent the financial institution from filing a [Currency Transaction Report].

[27]*27Id. at 491. Scanio’s conviction was therefore affirmed.

The reasoning of Scanio was adopted without elaboration by the Ninth Circuit. See United States v. Hoyland, 903 F.2d 1288 (9th Cir.1990). This Court is persuaded that the Scanio court correctly construed § 5324(3). Accordingly, the Government’s motion in limine is granted.

2. MOTION FOR DISCOVERY

Defendant Aversa asks the Court to grant him an opportunity to obtain certain information from the Government. As detailed below, the Court grants that motion in part.

a. Paragraph 1

In Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 1196, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963), the United States Supreme Court held that due process forbids a prosecutor from suppressing “evidence favorable to an accused upon request ... where the evidence is material either to guilt or to punishment.” The defendant is entitled to obtain any such exculpatory evidence and accordingly, the request contained in paragraph 1 of the motion is herewith granted.

b. Paragraph 2

The request made in paragraph 2 of the motion is herewith denied. In paragraph 2, the defendant asks for “[cjopies of any results of criminal record investigations and/or requests for such investigations.” Although the request may comprehend discoverable material, as stated it is overbroad in that it fails to specify the subject or subjects of the criminal records sought.

c. Paragraph 3

Defendant is entitled to receive “[cjopies of all records of statements or confessions, signed or unsigned, by the defendant,” and therefore the request made in paragraph 3 is granted.

d. Paragraph b

Paragraph 4 of the defendant’s motion for discovery implicates the so-called “Jencks Act,” 18 U.S.C. § 3500, which provides in relevant part,

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Related

Brady v. Maryland
373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
United States v. Francis P. Davis
623 F.2d 188 (First Circuit, 1980)
United States v. Charles D. Scanio
900 F.2d 485 (Second Circuit, 1990)
United States v. James Ralph Hoyland
903 F.2d 1288 (Ninth Circuit, 1990)
United States v. Cresta
825 F.2d 538 (First Circuit, 1987)
Olympus Corp. v. United States
486 U.S. 1042 (Supreme Court, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
769 F. Supp. 24, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19057, 1990 WL 303423, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-aversa-nhd-1990.