United States v. Jackson

718 F. Supp. 1288, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10293, 1989 WL 100813
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. West Virginia
DecidedAugust 31, 1989
DocketCrim. No. 89-198-01
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 718 F. Supp. 1288 (United States v. Jackson) 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. Jackson, 718 F. Supp. 1288, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10293, 1989 WL 100813 (N.D.W. Va. 1989).

Opinion

ORDER

MAXWELL, Chief Judge.

On July 20, 1989 the Regular Grand Jury of this court now in being in this district returned a 16 count true bill charging the above-named individual and a codefendant with various violations of federal law including 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 371, 844(h)(1), 844(i), 1341, and 1957(a). In Count 16 of the referenced indictment the Grand Jury [1289]*1289charges that on or about March 31, 1988 the above-named defendant engaged in a “monetary transaction in criminally derived property” in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. §§ 1957(a) and 2. Also in Count 16 the Grand Jury alleges that the above-named defendant “has property involved in such offense or traceable to such property, which said defendant obtained, directly or indirectly, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957, and which property or proceeds are forfeitable to the United States pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 982.” The count also indicates that the United States intends to seek the forfeiture of substitute assets pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 982(b) and 21 U.S.C. § 853(p) in the event that the referenced “property” cannot be sufficiently identified or isolated. On the motion of the government the indictment returned in this matter was sealed and a warrant was issued for the arrest of the above-named defendant. On further motion of the government on July 25, 1989 the indictment was unsealed and placed among the public records of this Court.

Upon consideration of the totality of the Grand Jury’s charge in the above-referenced matter, gleaning therefrom facts considered in a light most favorable to the government’s theory of prosecution and forfeiture, it would appear that defendant Deon J. Jackson a/k/a Sandy alone, and to varying degrees in conjunction with defendant Larry Miller, activated a scheme to burn certain improvements situated upon real estate in which defendant Jackson had an interest in order to be paid the proceeds from certain insurance policies which named Jackson as a full, partial, or alternate beneficiary.

Four events alleged in the indictment appear to form the framework of the sixteen count charge. The Grand Jury alleges in Count 1 that on March 23, 1985 defendant Jackson burned the residence at 3539 Eoff Street, Wheeling, West Virginia, and thereafter collected insurance proceeds on policies held with Travelers and Prudential Insurance Companies. Next, in Count 13, it is alleged that on November 5, 1986 defendants Jackson and Miller used fire to destroy the business and apartment building at 4031 Jacob Street, Wheeling, West Virginia, in an effort to obtain insurance proceeds from two European insurance companies. Third, in Count 14 it is alleged that defendant Jackson on October 21,1988 attempted to burn a rental apartment building at 3539 Eoff Street, Wheeling, West Virginia. Fourth, in Count 15 it is alleged that on November 17, 1988 defendant Jackson burned the rental apartment building at 3539 Eoff Street, Wheeling, West Virginia. The Court would note that the addresses alleged in Counts 13, 14 and 15 are denominated as a “mailing address.” The Court would note further that the addresses of the subject properties indicated in Counts 1, 14, and 15, are identical.

The first two of the above three referenced allegations of arson are enhanced through the first thirteen counts of the indictment, wherein the Grand Jury alleges that these defendants aiding and abetting one another, conspiring to commit the alleged offense, and/or acting individually, have committed several acts of mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341, conspiracy to commit mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, the use of fire to commit a felony in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(h)(1), and the use of fire to destroy a property used in interstate commerce in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i). Finally, Count 16 alleges that defendant Jackson engaged in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957(a). The counts of mail fraud alleged herein have to do with the defendants’ efforts to collect proceeds from insurance policies held upon the 3539 Eoff Street and the 4031 Jacob Street properties allegedly burned on March 23, 1985 and November 5, 1986, respectively. The “criminally derived property” transaction alleged in Count 16 of the indictment represents defendant Jackson’s handling of a check in the amount of $28,647.38 paid to her from her attorney. Apparently, the amount represents the gross recovery less attorneys fees from a civil action in which defendant Jackson successfully sought $34,000.00 in insurance proceeds apparently paid to this [1290]*1290defendant’s land contract purchaser of the 4031 Jacob Street property, the amount having been paid by the Italian and English insurance companies subsequent to the November 5, 1986 burning of that property.

On July 26, 1989 the Court received the government’s notice of hearing on request for Temporary Restraining Order and verified application in support thereof from Martin P. Sheehan, Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, wherein the government sought to have the Court enter a Temporary Restraining Order to preserve the availability of the defendant’s assets for forfeiture in the event the government would ultimately prevail in this criminal matter. The government’s request is premised upon 18 U.S.C. § 982 which incorporates by reference the provisions of 21 U.S.C. § 853. Essentially, the government seeks to have the above-named defendant restrained “from transferring any assets until she has first posted a performance bond of $28,647.38 which the government seeks to forfeit.”

Initially, the government sought an ex parte restraining order under the provisions of 21 U.S.C. § 853, but the Court, based upon the sparce record then before it, declined to proceed in an ex parte fashion and set the matter for hearing which was subsequently held on July 26 and 28, 1989.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

United States v. Swank Corp.
797 F. Supp. 497 (E.D. Virginia, 1992)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
718 F. Supp. 1288, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10293, 1989 WL 100813, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-jackson-wvnd-1989.