United States v. Jiménez-Rivera

761 F. Supp. 2d 3, 2011 WL 250316
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedJanuary 27, 2011
DocketCriminal No. 07-0547(ADC)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 761 F. Supp. 2d 3 (United States v. Jiménez-Rivera) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Jiménez-Rivera, 761 F. Supp. 2d 3, 2011 WL 250316 (prd 2011).

Opinion

ORDER OF DETENTION PENDING TRIAL

JUSTO ARENAS, United States Chief Magistrate Judge.

The defendant Luis Jiménez-Rivera is charged in six of eight counts in a 121-defendant, 8-count, 43-page indictment dated December 11, 2007. Count one charges the defendant, and 120 other defendants, with knowingly and intentionally conspiring, combining, and agreeing together and with each other and others known and unknown to Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, that is, to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, a Schedule I, Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance; 50 grams or more of cocaine base (hereinafter referred to as “crack”), a Schedule II, Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance; five kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II, Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance, and 100 kilograms or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of marihuana, a Schedule I, Controlled Substance, within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising a housing facility owned by a public housing authority, that is, the Jardines de Sellés and El Prado Public Housing Projects located in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Las Flores and Liborio Ortiz Public Housing projects located in Aibonito, Puerto Rico. All in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and 860. The defendant is also charged in four counts of the indictment with aiding and abetting in related substantive offenses. (Docket No. 2.) The defendant, who is also known as “Tony Simba” is described in the indictment as the owner of a heroin distribution point located at the Jardines de Sellés Public Housing Project and who also acted as an enforcer in the conspiracy. The government seeks detention of this defendant pending trial.

Under 18 U.S.C. § 3141 et seq., judicial officers are required to release a defendant arrested for federal offenses on personal recognizance or an unsecured appearance bond, 18 U.S.C. § 3142(b); set the least restrictive conditions necessary to ensure defendant’s appearance at all court proceedings, 18 U.S.C. § 3142(c); or under the Bail Reform Act, upon motion of the government, and finding by the court of, inter alia, flight risk, and/or dangerousness to any person or to the community, order the defendant detained without bond. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(e).

The detention hearing was held on January 25, 2011. At the hearing, the United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Mariana Bauzá and the defendant was represented by counsel Eric Pijuan. The United States proffered information related to the defendant’s participation in the enterprise, focusing on his role as described above, the rebuttal presumption and the fact that the defendant has remained a fugitive for three years while the great majority of the defendants have already been arrested. (Three defendants are currently on trial and 52 defendants have entered guilty pleas in front of me alone, with almost half of the rest having entered pleas before another United States magistrate judge and the trial judge.)

[5]*5Under 18 U.S.C. § 3142(b), a court, in making a determination regarding detention, must evaluate the risk of the defendant’s flight, the risk to the safety of any other person, and the risk to the safety of the community. In circumstances when detention is not mandated by the court, the court is nonetheless empowered to impose conditions on release. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(c).

Pursuant to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 3142(g) a court, in assessing the risks noted in 18 U.S.C. § 3142(b), shall consider the following: (1) the nature and circumstances of the offense charged; (2) the weight of the evidence as to guilt; (3) the history and characteristics of the accused, including family ties, past history, financial resources and employment; and (4) the nature and seriousness of the danger to any person or the community that would be posed by a release.

During the course of a hearing conducted pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3142, the government typically retains the burden of persuading the court that “ ‘no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure’ defendant’s presence at trial....” United States v. Perez-Franco, 839 F.2d 867, 870 (1st Cir.1988) (quoting United States v. Palmer-Contreras, 835 F.2d 15, 17-18 (1st Cir.1987)). For its part, the government is required to offer clear and convincing evidence of dangerousness; and a preponderance of the evidence to prove risk of flight. See United States v. Patriarca, 948 F.2d 789, 792-93 (1st Cir.1991). Facts necessary to find that no combination will reasonably assure the safety of any person and the community require satisfaction of the “clear and convincing” standard. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(f)(2).

In specific instances, delineated in 18 U.S.C. § 3142(e), a presumption arises that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of a defendant and the safety of the community. Among the instances where a presumption arises is the situation where,

the judicial officer finds that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of the person as required and the safety of any other person and the community, such judicial officer shall order the detention of the person before trial.
an offense for which a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years or more is prescribed in the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (21 U.S.C. 951 et seq.), or chapter 705 of title 46[.]

18 U.S.C. § 3142(e)(1)(3)(A). The defendant faces a term of imprisonment of ten years to life if convicted.

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Related

United States v. Nuñez-Guerrero
28 F. Supp. 3d 118 (D. Puerto Rico, 2014)
United States v. Fernandez-Aviles
27 F. Supp. 3d 261 (D. Puerto Rico, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
761 F. Supp. 2d 3, 2011 WL 250316, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-jimenez-rivera-prd-2011.