United States v. Evick

286 F.R.D. 296, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 178220, 2012 WL 5995357
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. West Virginia
DecidedAugust 7, 2012
DocketCriminal Action No. 2:11-CR-18
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 286 F.R.D. 296 (United States v. Evick) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Evick, 286 F.R.D. 296, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 178220, 2012 WL 5995357 (N.D.W. Va. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO DISMISS CRIMINAL FORFEITURE ALLEGATION

JOHN PRESTON BAILEY, Chief Judge.

On this day, the above-styled criminal action came before this Court upon consideration of defendant Richard Evick’s Motion to Dismiss Criminal Forfeiture Allegation [Doc. 118], filed July 16, 2012. In his motion, defendant Eviek argues that this Court should dismiss the forfeiture allegation in this proceeding because the Government never presented evidence in support of the criminal forfeiture allegation against the defendant [Doc. 118 at 2]. The Government filed its response thereto [Doc. 121] on July 30, [297]*2972012. In its response, the Government argues that the failure to retain the jury after it returned its verdict to determine the forfeitability of property does not justify dismissal of the forfeiture allegation [Id. at 2],

I. Procedural Background

The Indictment in this proceeding contains a forfeiture allegation against the defendants, listing the defendants as jointly and severally liable. In the forfeiture allegation, the Government lists Defendant Eviek’s real property located in Parsons, West Virginia, as specific property to be forfeited in connection with any convictions of Counts One through Ten of the Indictment [Doc. 1 at 37]. In addition, the Government states that it is seeking property involved in the criminal activity alleged in Counts Four through Ten of the Indictment, “including a money judgment for the total amount involved in the violations of [18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(l)(B)(i) and (h)]” [Id. at 36-37]. The Government further states that it seeks forfeiture of substitute property if, among other reasons, any of the property “has been commingled with other property that cannot be subdivided without difficulty” [Id. at 37].

No party requested that the jury be retained for a determination of the forfeitability of specific property. In addition, this Court did not make a specific determination as to whether either party wanted the jury to make such as determination. As such, after the jury returned its guilty verdict as to both defendants, the jury was released. Defendant Evick has moved to dismiss the criminal forfeiture allegation on the basis that the jury did not make any finding regarding the forfeiture of specific property, particularly defendant Evick’s real property located in Parsons, West Virginia.

II. Applicable Legal Standard

Rule 32.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure provides for criminal forfeiture of property where the Indictment “contains notice to the defendant that the government will seek the forfeiture of [that] property as part of any sentence in accordance with the applicable statute.” Fed. R.Crim.P. 32.2(a). The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (“Fourth Circuit”) has reiterated that forfeiture is a part of the defendant’s sentencing. United States v. Martin, 662 F.3d 301, 306 (4th Cir.2011) (citing Libretti v. United States, 516 U.S. 29, 38-39, 116 S.Ct. 356, 133 L.Ed.2d 271 (1995)). The parties in a criminal proceeding with a forfeiture allegation have the right to request a jury determination of the forfeitability of specific property if it returns a guilty verdict. See Fed. R.CrimP. 32.2(b)(5). If the indictment contains a forfeiture allegation, “the court must determine before the jury begins deliberation whether either party requests that the jury be retained to determine the forfeitability of specific property if it returns a guilty verdict.” Fed.R.Crim.P. 32.2(b)(5)(A).

If no party seeks such a jury determination, a court “must determine whether the government has established the requisite nexus between the [specific] property and the offense” by a preponderance of the evidence. Fed.R.Crim.P. 32.2(b)(1)(A); Martin, 662 F.3d at 307. “If the government seeks a personal money judgment, the court must determine the amount of money that the defendant will be ordered to pay.” Fed. R.Crim.P. 32.2(b)(1)(A). When making these determinations, a court may rely upon evidence already in the record as well as any relevant and reliable evidence and information. Fed.R.Crim.P. 32.2(b)(1)(B). If the court finds that the property is subject to forfeiture, then the Court must enter a preliminary order, which becomes final as to the defendant after any related ancillary proceedings and the defendant’s sentencing. Fed.R.Crim.P. 32.2(b)(2) and (4); Fed. R.Crim.P. 32.2(c).

III. Discussion

Defendant Evick requests this Court to dismiss the criminal forfeiture allegation against him because “[n]either the Court nor the government raised the issue of whether the forfeitability of defendant’s residence should be determined by the jury, and the jury was discharged thereafter without ever making such finding” [Doe. 118 at 2], The Government argues that this Court’s failure to determine whether either party requested a jury determination as to the forfeiture allegation violates neither a jurisdictional deadline nor the defendant’s substantial rights [298]*298[Doc. 121 at 6]. Furthermore, the Government argues that dismissal of the forfeiture allegation on the failure to obtain a jury determination would be inappropriate to the extent that it pertains to a forfeiture money judgment, for which the defendant does not have the right to a jury determination [Id at n. 4], For the reasons that follow, this Court DENIES Defendant Evick’s Motion to Dismiss Criminal Forfeiture Allegation [Doc. 118].

Defendant Evick’s argument for dismissal of the forfeiture allegation rests upon this Court’s failure to determine whether either party requested a jury determination of forfeitability of specific property prior to jury deliberations as mandated by Rule 32.2(b)(5)(A). In 2011, the Fourth Circuit addressed a court’s failure to meet a deadline under Rule 32.2. See Martin, 662 F.3d 301. In that case, the Fourth Circuit adopted an analytical framework presented by the Supreme Court of the United States, which requires the court to first determine whether the deadline at issue is a(l) “jurisdictional” deadline, (2) “claims-processing rule” deadline, or (3) “time-related directive” deadline. Martin, 662 F.3d at 307-08 (adopting the analytical framework presented in Dolan v. United States, — U.S.-, 130 S.Ct. 2533, 177 L.Ed.2d 108 (2010)).

In Martin,

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Bluebook (online)
286 F.R.D. 296, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 178220, 2012 WL 5995357, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-evick-wvnd-2012.