United States v. Rafael

282 F. Supp. 3d 407
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedOctober 11, 2017
DocketCRIMINAL ACTION NO. 16–10124–WGY
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 282 F. Supp. 3d 407 (United States v. Rafael) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Rafael, 282 F. Supp. 3d 407 (D.D.C. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM & ORDER CONCERNING FORFEITURE

YOUNG, D.J.

*408The government here seeks forfeiture of the following fishing vessels and permits (collectively "Vessels and Permits"):

1. one fishing vessel named "Athena," bearing vessel identification number 1122803 and permit number 410604;
2. one fishing vessel named "My Way," bearing vessel identification number 603431 and permit number 330309;
3. one fishing vessel named "Hera," bearing vessel identification number 945600 and permit number 410501;
4. one fishing vessel named "Hera II," bearing vessel identification number 1113613 and permit number 410612;
5. one fishing vessel named "Poseidon," bearing vessel identification number 613018 and permit number 330379;
6. one fishing vessel named "Lady Patricia," bearing vessel identification number 1028791 and permit number 330200;
7. one fishing vessel named "Destiny," bearing vessel identification number 1031278 and permit number 330764;
8. one fishing vessel named "Olivia & Rafaela," bearing vessel identification number 553777 and permit number 330236;
9. one fishing vessel named "Hercules," bearing vessel identification number 669933 and permit number 330552;
10. one fishing vessel named "Sasha Lee," bearing vessel identification number 909149 and permit number 330795;
11. one fishing vessel named "Drake," bearing vessel identification number 618310 and permit number 410246;
12. one fishing vessel named "Bulldog," bearing vessel identification number 937040 and permit number 410471; and
13. one fishing vessel named "Southern Crusader II," bearing vessel identification number 1038917 and permit number 330904.

I. FACTUAL FRAMEWORK1

On March 30, 2017, the defendant Carlos A. Rafael ("Rafael") pled guilty to twenty-three counts of false labeling and identification, in violation of the Lacey Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(d) and 3373(d).2 Rafael owns the "Athena" outright and has a one-half interest in the remainder of the fleet. Based on the current market, the estimated gross value of the Vessels and Permits is approximately $30,000,000 and there are approximately $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 in liens and attachments on the Vessels and Permits, reducing the value of the Vessels and Permits to approximately $27,000,000-$28,000,000.

*409II. ANALYSIS

A. Forfeiture is Statutorily Mandated

Here, forfeiture is statutorily mandated. See 16 U.S.C. § 3374. The applicable statute provides that the following property is subject to forfeiture: "(1) [a]ll fish or wildlife or plants imported, exported, transported, sold, received, acquired, or purchased [in violation of Title 16, United States Code, Section 3372(d),] or any regulation issued pursuant thereto ... [and] (2) [a]ll vessels, vehicles, aircraft, and other equipment used to aid in the importing, exporting, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring, or purchasing of fish or wildlife or plants [involved in such offenses] if (A) the owner of such vessel, vehicle, aircraft, or equipment was at the time of the alleged illegal act a consenting party or privy thereto or in the exercise of due care should have known that such vessel, vehicle, aircraft, or equipment would be used in a criminal violation of [the Lacey Act,] and (B) the violation involved the sale or purchase of, the offer of sale or purchase of, or the intent to sell or purchase, fish or wildlife or plants." 16 U.S.C. § 3374(a) (emphasis added). Here, Rafael admitted that he violated the Lacey Act and that the Vessels and Permits are subject to forfeiture. Specifically, in the plea agreement that he signed, he acknowledged the following:

Defendant admits that [the Vessels and Permits] are subject to forfeiture on the grounds that, as to forfeiture pursuant to conviction on Counts 2-24, assets (a) through (m) constitute (1) all fish or wildlife or plants imported, exported, transported, sold, received, acquired, or purchased in violation of 16 U.S.C. § 3372(d), or any regulation issued pursuant thereto; and/or (2) all vessels, vehicles, aircraft, and other equipment used to aid in the importing, exporting, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring, or purchasing of fish or wildlife or plants involved in such offenses if (A) the owner of such vessel, vehicle, aircraft, or equipment was at the time of the alleged illegal act a consenting party or privy thereto or in the exercise of due care should have known that such vessel, vehicle, aircraft, or equipment would be used in a criminal violation of the Lacey Act, and (B) the violation involved the sale or purchase of, the offer of sale or purchase of, or the intent to sell or purchase, fish or wildlife or plants.

ECF No. 102 at 8.

The relevant statute mandates forfeiture. Specifically, 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c) provides that, "[i]f the defendant is convicted of the offense giving rise to the forfeiture, the court shall order the forfeiture of the property as part of the sentence in the criminal case ...." (emphasis added). "The mandatory nature of [the phrase 'shall order' in 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c) ] is clear: When the government has met the requirements for criminal forfeiture, the district court must impose criminal forfeiture, subject only to statutory and constitutional limits." United States v. Newman, 659 F.3d 1235, 1240 (9th Cir. 2011).

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Bluebook (online)
282 F. Supp. 3d 407, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-rafael-dcd-2017.