United States v. Chiarizio

388 F. Supp. 858, 1975 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14245
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedJanuary 21, 1975
DocketCrim. H-74-51
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 388 F. Supp. 858 (United States v. Chiarizio) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Chiarizio, 388 F. Supp. 858, 1975 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14245 (D. Conn. 1975).

Opinion

RULING ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS TO DISMISS THE INDICTMENT AND SUPPRESS EVI- . DENCE

BLUMENFELD, District Judge.

The twelve defendants in this case are under indictment for violation of 18 U. S.C. § 1955 (1970) 1 and § 371 (1970). They have raised a number of challenges to the indictment and the wiretap evidence which was obtained pursuant to the provisions of Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2520. An evidentiary hearing having been held on certain elements of the defendants’ motion to suppress and all briefs having been submitted, this matter is now ready for decision.

Motion to Dismiss the Indictment

As if following a checklist in a manual on defending § 1955 cases, the defendants have raised a series of challenges, most of which have been definitively discussed and rejected by either *862 the Second Circuit or other Courts of Appeal. For that reason, most of the issues require little or no discussion.

Thus, the statute is not unconstitutional because it adopts as an element of the offense the violation of state gambling laws. United States v. Sacco, 491 F.2d 995 (9th Cir. 1974); Schneider v. United States, 459 F.2d 540 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 409 U.S. 877, 93 S.Ct. 129, 34 L.Ed.2d 131 (1972); United States v. Aquino, 336 F.Supp. 737 (E.D.Mich.1972). Cf. United States v. Burton, 475 F.2d 469 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 835, 94 S.Ct. 178, 38 L.Ed.2d 70 (1973). Also it was validly adopted pursuant to Congress’ plenary power under the Commerce Clause and thus was not an unconstitutional infringement upon the powers of the states under the tenth amendment. United States v. Sacco, supra; United States v. Becker, 461 F.2d 230 (2d Cir. 1972), vacated on other grounds, 417 U.S. 903, 94 S.Ct. 2597, 41 L.Ed.2d 208 (1974); United States v. Harris, 460 F.2d 1041 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 409 U.S. 877, 93 S.Ct. 128, 34 L.Ed.2d 130 (1972). Nor is § 1955 unconstitutionally vague. United States v. Sacco, supra, 491 F.2d at 1001-1002. Cf. United States v. Meese, 479 F.2d 41, 43 (8th Cir. 1973); United States v. Hunter, 478 F.2d 1019, 1022 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 857, 94 S.Ct. 162, 38 L.Ed.2d 107 (1973); United States v. Becker, supra, 461 F.2d at 232.

The defendants also argue that §§ 1955 and 371 merge into one because both statutes require the concerted action of more than one person. This contention, based upon “Wharton’s Rule,” is also foreclosed under United States v. Becker, supra in which the Second Circuit stated:

“Appellants next argue that because the alleged substantive offense required the participation of five or more persons, a conspiracy count based upon the same illegal conduct was improper, under the doctrine that ‘Where concert is necessary to an offense, conspiracy does not lie.’ United States v. Sager, 49 F.2d 725, 727 (2d Cir. 1931). United States v. Center Veal & Beef Co., 162 F.2d 766, 770 (2d Cir. 1947); United States v. Zeuli, 137 F.2d 845, 846 (2d Cir. 1943). The answer is that in this case an additional two persons, or seven in all, were named in the indictment as having engaged in the conspiracy, whereas the substantive offense required the participation of only five. It is a fundamental principle, too settled to require explication, that ‘the commission of the substantive offense and a conspiracy to commit it are separate and distinct offenses.’ Callanan v. United States, 364 U.S. 587, 593, 81 S.Ct. 321, 325, 5 L.Ed.2d 312 (1961). As we have recently reiterated, as long as the conspiratorial concert of action and the substantive offense underlying it are not coterminous and fewer participants are required for the commission of the substantive offense than are named as joining in a conspiracy to commit it, there is no infirmity in the conspiracy indictment. United States v. Benter, 457 F.2d 1174, 1178 (2d Cir. 1972).” 461 F.2d at 234.

In the instant case twelve persons were named as co-conspirators, seven more than are needed to support a conviction under § 1955. See United States v. Iannelli, 477 F.2d 999, 1002 (3d Cir. 1973), cert. granted, 417 U.S. 907, 94 S.Ct. 2602, 41 L.Ed.2d 211, 42 U.S.L.W. 3652 (U.S. May 28, 1974) (No. 73-64).

The defendants also advance a rather ingenious, but ultimately meritless, argument based upon the doctrine of pardon and abatement. The indictment in this case was issued on April 9, 1974, and charged the defendants with being continuously in violation of Conn.Gen. Stat.Ann. § 53-295 (1958) from March 1, 1973 through May 15, 1973. 2 On *863 June 7, 1973 as part of Pub.Act No. 73-455, § 53-295 was repealed. As a result, the defendants argue, under the doctrine of pardon and abatement, all proceedings under § 53-295 “which were not passed and closed, are thereby arrested as if the statute never existed.” Defendants’ Brief at 9. As § 1955 depends upon the violation of a state gambling statute, they continue, all prosecutions under § 1955 which depend upon § 53-295 must be abated.

It is unnecessary to pass upon the defendants’ basic argument that the repeal of a state gambling law subsequent to the commission of an offense under it would necessarily abate a federal prosecution under § 1955. Cf. United States v. Revel, 493 F.2d 1 (5th Cir. 1974) (federal, not state, statute of limitations applies under § 1955). This is because the doctrine of abatement and pardon has no application under the facts of this case. Section 53-295 was only technically repealed under Pub.Act No. 73-455 which was a comprehensive enactment of a model gambling law. It is quite clear that the offenses which were proscribed and relied upon by the government under § 53-295 remain illegal under Pub.Act No. 73-455, §§ 1(3), 2, 3(d), 5(d). See United States v. Romanello, Crim. No. H-203 (D.Conn., Sept. 14, 1972).

The defendants also claim that § 53-295 is unconstitutionally vague. In particular, they focus upon that part of the statute which provides that “any person who makes, records or registers any such wagers or bets, or buys or sells, or is concerned in buying or sell-mg, any such pools . . . .” (Emphasis added.) The language “is concerned,” they contend, is unconstitutionally vague. In passing upon such a challenge it is necessary to remember that “the Constitution does not require impossible standards.” A statute need only convey "sufficiently definite warning as to the proscribed conduct when measured by common understanding and practices.” United States v. Petrillo, 332 U.S. 1, 7-8, 67 S.Ct. 1538, 1542, 91 L.Ed. 1877 (1947); Roth v. United States, 354 U.S.

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388 F. Supp. 858, 1975 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14245, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-chiarizio-ctd-1975.