United States v. Vlahov

884 F. Supp. 354, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4825, 1995 WL 233160
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedApril 4, 1995
DocketNo. CR 94-20064 JW
StatusPublished

This text of 884 F. Supp. 354 (United States v. Vlahov) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Vlahov, 884 F. Supp. 354, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4825, 1995 WL 233160 (N.D. Cal. 1995).

Opinion

SCHEDULING ORDER AND DETERMINATION OF EFFECT OF SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT UNDER THE SPEEDY TRIAL ACT

WARE, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This case raises the issue of whether the filing of a superseding indictment affects the time for bringing the case to trial under the Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3161, et seq. (“the Act”). On March 8, 1995, the Court conducted a Trial Setting Conference in this case. The Court found that 56 days had elapsed for purposes of the Act. At the conference, the Government notified the Court that on March 7, 1995 a superseding indictment had been issued against the Defendant which added new charges based on the same facts and circumstances involved in the original indictment. The superseding indictment also incorporated the charge involved in the original indictment. At the conference, the Government represented that a new 70-day trial clock begins upon the filing of the superseding indictment and requested that the matter be set for trial on April 24, 1995. The Government and Defendant represented that this additional time was necessary to prepare for trial given the new changes.

[355]*355For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds that the 70-day period does not restart on the filing of a superseding indictment, However, the Court finds that good cause easts for allowing additional time beyond the 70-day period for the trial of this case.

II. BACKGROUND

On June 3, 1994, Defendant Gorislav Vlahov (“Vlahov”), doing business as G.V. Engineering, allegedly entered into an agreement with Seagate Magnetics (“Seagate”) to rent 28 Exclusive Design Corporation Texture Machines (“EDC machines”) and component parts for a period of six months at a cost of $84,000 per month.1 All 28 EDC machines were to be returned to Seagate at the conclusion of the rental period.

Earlier, on May 27, 1994, Vlahov allegedly had entered into an agreement with Akashic Memories Corporation (“Akashic”), for the sale of 20 EDC machines and component equipment. Akashic had given Vlahov a down payment in the amount of $280,000.

On June 8,1994, representatives of Akashic met with Vlahov and agreed to purchase two additional EDC machines bringing the total to 22. On June 10, 1994, Vlahov allegedly delivered 12 of the EDC machines to Akashic, and on June 13,1994, Akashic allegedly wired the remaining balance of $336,000 to an attorney in Croatia on behalf of Vlahov. On June 14, 1994, Vlahov delivered the remaining ten machines to Akashic.

On June 21,1994, Vlahov allegedly notified Akashic that it was necessary to remove the serial numbers from all of the EDC machines because “somebody” was after him, and the next day, Vlahov allegedly entered Akashic’s building and proceeded to remove the serial numbers himself. On June 22, 1994, an attorney for Seagate notified Akashic that all of the machines that Vlahov had sold to it were the property of Seagate and that they were not for sale. On June 23, 1994, a representative of Akashic confronted Vlahov about the problem and was told by Vlahov that he was closing his corporation and moving to Croatia within the next two weeks.

Furthermore, in response to Vlahov’s allegedly illegal conduct of selling the EDC machines, on June 20, 1994, Seagate sought and received a Writ of Possession stating that Seagate had legal possession of the 28 EDC machines that Vlahov had rented.

On September 7,1994, Vlahov was indicted on one count of Interstate Transportation of Monies Obtained by Fraud and Aiding and Abetting in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2314 and 2. On September 8, 1994, Vlahov was arraigned and pled not guilty. The case was set for trial within 70 days of the arraignment taking into account various exclusions.

On March 7,1995, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment which added four new charges based on the same facts and circumstances involved in the original indictment. Vlahov was indicted on three counts of Money Laundering pursuant 18 U.S.C. § 1957. The money laundering charges involve the deposit of monies in amounts of over $10,000 obtained by fraud in three different banks. Vlahov was also charged with one count of Criminal Forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 853. The superseding indictment retained the original charge of Interstate Transportation of Monies Obtained by Fraud and Aiding and Abetting pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 2314 and 2. Vlahov was arraigned at a previously scheduled Trial Setting Conference on March 8, 1995, where he waived a formal reading of the indictment. Vlahov pled not guilty to all five counts set forth in the superseding indictment. At that time, the Government represented that the filing of a superseding indictment restarts the 70-day period within which trial must begin.

III. DISCUSSION

The Act is designed to ensure a federal criminal defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial and to reduce the danger to the public from prolonged periods of the defendant’s release on bail. United States v. Gonzales, 897 F.2d 1312, 1315 (5th Cir.1990). To this end, the Act entitles a criminal defendant to dismissal of the [356]*356charges pending against him if he is not brought to trial within 70 days of his initial appearance' or indictment, whichever date last occurs. Id. In computing the running of this 70-day period, the Act permits certain periods of time to be excluded. Id. However, the Act does not specifically provide for exclusions of time based upon the filing of a superseding indictment.2 Nor does the Act provide for a restarting of the 70-day period when a superseding indictment is filed.

Although the Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit have not addressed the issue of what happens when a superseding indictment involving new charges is filed, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has found “[t]he filing of a superseding indictment does not affect the speedy-trial clock for offenses charged in the original indictment or any offense required under double-jeopardy principles to be joined with the original offenses.” United States v. Gonzales, 897 F.2d 1312, 1316 (5th Cir.1990). The Fifth Circuit Court continued: “The seventy-day speedy-trial period continues to run from the date of the original indictment or arraignment, whichever was later, and all speedy-trial exclusions apply as if no superseding indictment has been returned.” Id.

While the facts in Gonzales

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
884 F. Supp. 354, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4825, 1995 WL 233160, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-vlahov-cand-1995.