United States v. Barrera

950 F. Supp. 2d 461, 2013 WL 3120193
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedJune 20, 2013
DocketNo. 11-cr-857-WFK-2
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 950 F. Supp. 2d 461 (United States v. Barrera) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Barrera, 950 F. Supp. 2d 461, 2013 WL 3120193 (E.D.N.Y. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

WILLIAM F. KUNTZ, II, District Judge.

Jose Barrera (“Defendant” or “Barrera”) is charged with six counts in a seventeen-count indictment (the “Indictment”), which alleges various crimes on the part of several members of the street gang La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13 (“MS-13”). Currently pending before the Court are several of Defendant’s pre-trial motions. First, Defendant moves to suppress evidence procured through the use of a wiretap on the phone of an alleged co-conspirator. Second, Defendant moves for an evidentiary hearing pursuant to Franks v. Delaware to ascertain whether and to what extent the Government provided misleading information in its applications for the wiretaps at issue, thereby affecting the determination of probable cause. Third, Defendant seeks discovery of law enforcement reports and witness or [465]*465co-defendant statements relating to the wiretaps, pursuant to Rule 16 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Fourth, Defendant seeks disclosure of any Brady material in the Government’s possession. Fifth, Defendant moves for a bill of particulars with respect to two of the criminal counts with which he is charged, pursuant to Rule 7(f) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. For the reasons set forth below, Defendant’s motions are DENIED.

I. Factual Background

A. The Criminal Enterprise

MS-13 is a violent street gang that was recently designated a transnational criminal organization by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Press Release, U.S. Department of Treasury, Treasury Sanctions Latin American Criminal Organization (Oct. 11, 2012), available at http://www.treasury. gov/press-center/press-releases/pages/tg 1733.aspx. The gang operates in more than forty states through local “cliques,” which report and funnel money to the group’s central leadership in El Salvador. Id. MS-13 is involved in various serious transnational crimes, “including drug trafficking, kidnapping, human smuggling, sex trafficking, murder, assassinations, racketeering, blackmail, extortion, and immigration offenses.” Id.

Upon joining MS-13, gang members agree to attack “chavallas” — i.e., members of other gangs — whenever possible. Gov’t Opp. Br. at 2. Since at least 1998, members of MS-13 in Queens and Long Island have carried out violent attacks against members of rival gangs. Id. at 1. Specifically, in Queens, MS-13 has been engaged in street wars against the Latin Kings, the Bloods and the Original Flushing Crew (“OFC”). Id. These street wars have resulted in multiple murders, shootings, and assaults on members of both MS-13 and rival gangs, as well as their family members and innocent bystanders. Id. at 1-2. Members of MS-13 often carry out orders “from regional, national, and international MS-13 leaders, including orders to kill witnesses, rival gang members, and potential cooperating or defecting MS-13 members.” Id. at 2.

B. Charges Against Barrera

Defendant is accused of being a member of an MS-13 clique based in Flushing, Queens, and of committing numerous crimes on behalf of the gang. Id. Defendant is charged in the first, second, fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth counts of the Indictment. Count One charges Defendant with engaging in racketeering from July 2009 to December 2011, committed as part of his involvement with MS-13, based on predicate acts of conspiracy to murder (“Racketeering Act One”) and attempted murder (“Racketeering Act Three”). Indictment, Dkt. No. 1, at ¶¶ 6-8, 10. The Government alleges that between July 2009 and December 2011, Defendant conspired with co-defendants to murder members of the OFC, a rival gang located in Flushing, Queens. Id. at ¶ 8. The Government also alleges Defendant attempted to kill an unnamed victim (“John Doe”) on September 24, 2010. Id. at ¶ 10. Count Two charges Defendant with racketeering conspiracy, based on an agreement with two co-defendants to commit the acts alleged in Count One. Id. at ¶¶ 12-14. Counts Four, Five, Eight and Nine charge Defendant with wrongs in connection with the predicate acts underlying Count One. Count Four charges Defendant with conspiracy to murder one or more persons, to wit: members of the OFC. Id. at ¶¶ 18-19. Count Five charges Defendant with unlawful use of a firearm in connection with conspiracy to murder as alleged in Count Four. Id. at ¶ 20. Count Eight charges Defendant with attempted murder of John Doe. Id. at ¶¶ 25-26. And, last, Count Nine charges Defendant with assault with [466]*466a deadly weapon on John Doe. Id. at ¶¶ 27-28.

C. The Initial Wiretap Application

On December 2, 2010, during its investigation of MS-13, the Government submitted an application, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2518, for authorization to wiretap a cell phone used by Christian Merino (“Merino” a/k/a “Casper”), the alleged “primero” or leader of the Flushing, Queens clique of MS-13. See generally Def.’s Br., Ex. A (“Dec. 2, 2010 Aff.”). On the same day, the Hon. Jack B. Weinstein issued an order authorizing the wiretap. Id.

Special Agent Sean Sweeney of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) submitted an affidavit in support of the Government’s application for the wiretap. Id. According to the affidavit, the Government was provided a wealth of information regarding the activities of MS-13 by a cooperating witness (“CW1”). For instance, CW1 recounted to Agent Sweeney a conversation with defendants Christian Merino, Nelson Quinteros (“Quinteros” a/k/a “Sonic”), and Alex Machado (“Machado” a/k/a “Negro”) in which the three admitted to stabbing a member of a rival gang on September 24, 2010. Id. at ¶ 16a. CW1 also recorded phone calls in which Merino admitted to the September 24, 2010 stabbing, discussed an upcoming gang clique meeting, and mentioned a firearm that had been seized by the NYPD from co-defendant Wilber Baires in August 2010. Id. at ¶¶ 17, 20-21.

Furthermore, CW1 provided Agent Sweeney with information regarding two assaults planned by MS-13 members, which information allowed law enforcement to intervene and prevent those assaults. Id. at ¶¶ 16b-16c. On September 29, 2010, CW1 informed Agent Sweeney that a gang-related assault would occur that night in Murray Park, Flushing, Queens. Id. at ¶ 16b. HSI Special Agents and NYPD Detectives immediately responded to the location and encountered co-defendants Merino, Quinteros, and Negro hiding behind a fence, armed with a baseball bat. Id. The arrival of law enforcement caused the intended victims of the assault to flee. Id. On October 28, 2010, CW1 recorded an in-person conversation with Merino in which Merino indicated MS-13 gang members were planning to conduct a drive-by shooting against members of La Familia, a rival gang in Flushing. Id. at ¶ 16c. The next day, on October 29, 2010, a strong police presence near the area of the intended shooting caused the gang members to abort the plan. Id.

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Bluebook (online)
950 F. Supp. 2d 461, 2013 WL 3120193, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-barrera-nyed-2013.