United States v. Ganz

806 F. Supp. 1567, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17827
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedNovember 17, 1992
Docket91-8058-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 806 F. Supp. 1567 (United States v. Ganz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Ganz, 806 F. Supp. 1567, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17827 (S.D. Fla. 1992).

Opinion

ORDER

HIGHSMITH, District Judge.

THIS CAUSE came before the Court upon defendant ERNEST GANZ’s motion to compel specific performance of plea agreement. The Court held hearings on this motion on July 10,1992 and August 20, 1992. The Court has carefully reviewed the motion for specific performance of plea agreement with incorporated memorandum; the government’s response to the defendant’s motion; the defendant’s reply memorandum in support of the motion for specific performance; the memoranda submitted to the Court after the August 20, 1992 hearing; the defendant’s grand jury testimony; the Customs reports concerning the defendant’s cooperation; internal memorandum of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida concerning substantial assistance; and the evidence and stipulations received by the Court at the hearings. The Court finds as follows:

1. Defendant ERNEST GANZ was indicted in 1991 on two counts of attempted importation of marijuana in violation of Title 21 United States Code, Sections 952(a), 960(a)(1), 963 and Title 18 United States Code, Section 2. Shortly after the Indictment was returned Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) William Michael contacted John F. Tierney, III, counsel for Ernest Ganz, and invited Mr. Tierney to his office to discuss a negotiated resolution and plea.

2. Mr. Tierney, Mr. Michael, and Special Agent Daniel Banks of United States Cus *1568 toms met at Mr. Michael’s office in Fort Pierce, Florida, to discuss a negotiated plea. During that meeting the United States suggested that Mr. Ganz agree to cooperate with the United States concerning criminal activity of which Mr. Ganz might have knowledge.

3. Initially, the parties discussed resolving this case and a companion civil forfeiture case concerning Mr. and Mrs. Ganz’s family residence. After some preliminary discussions, however, the Government advised Mr. Ganz, through counsel, that the civil forfeiture case concerning the Ganz family residence could not become a part of the plea agreement in the criminal case. Later, the government added an additional condition to the plea agreement: that Mr. Ganz agree to forfeit his interest in the family residence. Mr. Ganz, through counsel, verbally agreed to this condition.

4. Later, the government again changed its position and advised that, in addition to Mr. Ganz’s forfeiting his interest in the family home, he would have to testify against his wife in that civil forfeiture proceeding. Mr. Ganz and his counsel objected to this condition and his counsel, Mr. Tierney, wrote to the government on August 6, 1991, and advised that this requirement violated the Department of Justice Manual, Section 9.23.211. (Exhibit A, Motion for Specific Performance of Plea Agreement.) Mr. Tierney also advised the government that there would be no agreement if the government insisted on this provision.

5. Ultimately, the government agreed to forego the condition that Mr. Ganz testify against his wife in the civil forfeiture case. Mr. Ganz entered into a written plea agreement with the government. (Exhibit B, Motion for Specific Performance of Plea Agreement.) Additionally, the defendant entered into a memorandum of agreement with the government. (Exhibit C, Motion for Specific Performance of Plea Agreement.) On November 7, 1991, the agreements were executed; Mr. Ganz and the United States appeared before this Court; and the Court accepted the plea agreement.

6. The agreement provided in paragraph 9 that Mr. Ganz agreed to cooperate fully with the United States Attorney and United States Customs by: providing truthful information and testimony; appearing in such grand jury proceedings, hearings, trials, or other proceedings as may be required by the United States Attorney; and working in an undercover role to contact and negotiate with sources of marijuana under the supervision and guidance of United States Customs and the United States Attorney’s Office. The agreement provides in paragraph 10 that the United States reserves the right to evaluate the nature and extent of the defendant’s cooperation and if, in the judgment of the United States, the circumstances of the cooperation warrant a reduction below the level established by statute as a minimum sentence and departure by the Court from the guidelines sentence, the Government may make a motion pursuant to Title 18 United States Code, Section 3553(e) and Section 5K1.1 of the Sentencing Guidelines. 1

*1569 7. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Ganz began cooperating with the United States immediately after entry of the plea. The Court finds that he has complied with every provision of the plea agreement and done all that was requested of him without reservation. Indeed, the evidence in this regard was uncontradicted. Specifically: Mr. Ganz has met with Customs agents in person or by telephone in excess of 30 occasions; he tape recorded individuals, in person and on the telephone, under the direction and supervision of the United States; he met with and tape recorded an individual who inferred threats of death or serious bodily harm to any individual and/or their family that would provide assistance against him to the government; notwithstanding this threat, of which Customs was aware, Mr. Ganz again secretly tape recorded this individual at great risk of discovery and consequent harm to himself and his family; he has testified truthfully, as required by the agreement, before a grand jury investigating the unlawful activities of individuals who were identified by virtue of his assistance; and he provided physical corroborating evidence relating to money laundering and marijuana violations. Finally, it is noteworthy that, even following the filing of this motion and the obvious dispute between the parties as to the government’s good faith in dealing with Mr. Ganz, he provided additional information to the government through his counsel by written letter on June 17, 1992.

8. In connection with the plea agreement, AUSA William Michael advised Mr. Ganz that the Customs Agent’s opinion as to whether or not he had provided substantial assistance would be given great weight and that the matter of his cooperation would be presented to a “Substantial Assistance Review Committee” concerning the decision of whether or not the United States would file a substantial assistance motion on his behalf.

9. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the government did not solicit the opinion or recommendation of Daniel Banks, the lead United States Customs agent in the case, before making its decision not to file a motion on behalf of Mr. Ganz. Nor was the matter referred to the “Substantial Assistance Review Committee”. In the final analysis, the decision was made, solely, by AUSA Michael, notwithstanding his assurances to the defendant, alluded to above. We do not know what the government’s decision would have been, had Agent Banks’ opinion been sought. We do know what his opinion would have been — that substantial assistance had been rendered by the defendant. Thus, the government, through its agent and representative, William Michael, acted in bad faith; and the Court so finds.

10. The Court further finds that, with regard to the companion civil forfeiture case, the government compounded its bad faith posture toward the agreement it had executed with the defendant.

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Bluebook (online)
806 F. Supp. 1567, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17827, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-ganz-flsd-1992.