United States v. Deleon
| Decision Date | 29 October 2019 |
| Docket Number | No. CR 15-4268 JB,CR 15-4268 JB |
| Citation | 428 F.Supp.3d 841 |
| Parties | UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff, v. Angel DELEON, Joe Lawrence Gallegos, Edward Troup, a.k.a. "Huero Troup," Leonard Lujan, Billy Garcia, a.k.a. "Wild Bill," Eugene Martinez, a.k.a. "Little Guero," Allen Patterson, Christopher Chavez, a.k.a. "Critter," Javier Alonso, a.k.a. "Wineo," Arturo Arnulfo Garcia, a.k.a. "Shotgun," Benjamin Clark, a.k.a. "Cyclone," Ruben Hernandez; Jerry Armenta, a.k.a. "Creeper," Jerry Montoya, a.k.a. "Boxer," Mario Rodriguez, a.k.a. "Blue," Timothy Martinez, a.k.a. "Red," Mauricio Varela, a.k.a. "Archie," a.k.a. "Hog Nuts," Daniel Sanchez, a.k.a. "Dan Dan," Gerald Archuleta, a.k.a. "Styx," a.k.a. "Grandma," Conrad Villegas, a.k.a. "Chitmon," Anthony Ray Baca, a.k.a. "Pup," Robert Martinez, a.k.a. "Baby Rob," Roy Paul Martinez, a.k.a. "Shadow," Christopher Garcia, Carlos Herrera, a.k.a. "Lazy," Rudy Perez, a.k.a. "Ru Dog," Andrew Gallegos, a.k.a. "Smiley," Santos Gonzalez; Paul Rivera, Shauna Gutierrez, and Brandy Rodriguez, Defendants. |
| Court | U.S. District Court — District of New Mexico |
Fred Federici, Attorney for the United States, Acting Under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Maria Ysabel Armijo, Randy M. Castellano, Matthew Beck, Assistant United States Attorneys, United States Attorney's Office, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Attorneys for the Plaintiff.
Sarah M. Gorman, Law Offices of Robert D. Gorman, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Susan M. Porter, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Angel DeLeon.
Richard Sindel, Sindel, Sindel & Noble, P.C., Clayton, Missouri --and-- Brock Benjamin, Benjamin Law Firm, El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Joe Lawrence Gallegos.
Patrick J. Burke, Patrick J. Burke, P.C., Denver, Colorado --and-- Cori Ann Harbour-Valdez, The Harbour Law Firm, P.C., El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Edward Troup.
Donald R. Knight, Littleton, Colorado --and-- Russell Dean Clark, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Leonard Lujan.
Jason Bowles, Bowles Law Firm, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Joseph Libory Green, The Law Firm of Joseph Green, L.L.C., Chesterfield, Missouri --and-- Kathleen Lord, Lord Law Firm, LLC, Denver, Colorado --and-- Mario Carreon, Las Cruces, New Mexico --and-- James A. Castle, Castle & Castle, P.C., Denver, Colorado --and-- Robert R. Cooper, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Billy Garcia.
Carlos Ibarra, Las Cruces, New Mexico --and-- David A. Lane, Killmer, Lane & Newman, LLP, Denver, Colorado --and-- Robert J. Gorence, Gorence & Oliveros, P.C., Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Douglas E. Couleur, Douglas E. Couleur, P.A., Santa Fe, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Eugene Martinez.
Phillip A. Linder, The Linder Firm, Dallas, Texas --and-- Joseph E. Shattuck, Marco & Shattuck Law Firm, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Jeffrey C. Lahann, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Allen Patterson.
Eduardo Solis, El Paso, Texas --and-- David L. Andersen, Andersen & Zimmer, Oakland, California --and-- John L. Granberg, Granberg Law Office, El Paso, Texas --and-- Orlando Mondragon, El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Christopher Chavez.
Nathan D. Chambers, Nathan D. Chambers, Attorney at Law, Denver Colorado --and-- Noel Orquiz, Deming, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Javier Alonso.
Scott Moran Davidson, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Billy R. Blackburn, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Arturo Arnulfo Garcia.
Stephen E. Hosford, Stephen E. Hosford, P.C., Arrey, New Mexico --and-- Jerry Daniel Herrera, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Benjamin Clark.
Pedro Pineda, Las Cruces, New Mexico --and-- León Encinias, León Felipe Encinias, Attorney at Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Ruben Hernandez.
Gary Mitchell, Mitchell Law Office, Ruidoso, New Mexico, Attorney for Defendant Jerry Armenta.
Larry A. Hammond, Osborn Maledon, P.A., Phoenix, Arizona --and-- Margaret Strickland, McGraw & Strickland, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Jerry Montoya.
Steven M. Potolsky, Jacksonville Beach, Florida --and-- Santiago D. Hernandez, Law Office of Santiago D. Hernandez, El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Mario Rodriguez.
Steven Lorenzo Almanza, Las Cruces, New Mexico --and-- Jacqueline K. Walsh, Walsh & Larranaga, Seattle, Washington --and Ray Velarde, El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Timothy Martinez.
Michael David Lindsey, David Lindsey, Attorney at Law, Engelwood, Colorado --and-- Joe Spencer, El Paso, Texas --and-- Mary Stillinger, El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Mauricio Varela.
Josh R. Lee, Denver, Colorado --and-- Lauren Noriega, The Noriega Law Firm, Los Angeles, California --and-- Amy E. Jacks, Law Office of Amy E. Jacks, Los Angeles, California --and-- Richard Jewkes, El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Daniel Sanchez.
George A. Harrison, Las Cruces, New Mexico --and-- Kimberly S. Bruselas-Benavidez, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Gerald Archuleta.
B.J. Crow, Crow Law Firm, Roswell, New Mexico, Attorney for Defendant Conrad Villegas.
Cesar Pierce-Varela, Las Cruces, New Mexico --and-- Jess R. Lilley, Lilley Law Office, Las Cruces, New Mexico --and-- Theresa M. Duncan, Duncan Earnest LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Marc M. Lowry, Rothstein Donatelli LLP, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Anthony Ray Baca.
Charles J. McElhinney, CJM Law Firm, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Attorney for Defendant Robert Martinez.
Marcia J. Milner, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Attorney for Defendant Roy Paul Martinez.
Marc M. Lowry, Rothstein Donatelli LLP, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Christopher W. Adams, Charleston, South Carolina --and-- Amy Sirignano, Law Office of Amy Sirignano, P.C., Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Christopher Garcia.
Michael V. Davis, Michael V. Davis, Attorney & Counselor at Law, P.C., Corrales, New Mexico --and-- Ryan J. Villa, Law Office of Ryan J. Villa, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- William R. Maynard, El Paso, Texas --and-- Carey Corlew Bhalla, Law Office of Carey C. Bhalla, LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Carlos Herrera.
Donald R. West, Don West Law Group, Orlando, Florida --and-- Justine Fox-Young, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Ryan J. Villa, Law Office of Ryan J. Villa, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Rudy Perez.
Lisa Torraco, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Donavon A. Roberts, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Andrew Gallegos.
Erlinda O. Johnson, Law Office of Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorney for Defendant Santos Gonzalez.
Keith R. Romero, Keith R. Romero, Attorney and Counselor at Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorney for Paul Rivera.
Angela Arellanes, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorney for Defendant Shauna Gutierrez.
Alfred D. Creecy, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Jerry A. Walz, Walz and Associates, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Brandy Rodriguez.
THIS MATTER comes before the Court on: (i) Defendant Daniel Sanchez's Motion to Dismiss Case for Government's Outrageous Misconduct and Irreparable Violation of Brady v. Maryland, filed March 1, 2018 (Doc. 1841)("Sanchez MTD"); (ii) Defendant Carlos Herrera's Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Mistrail [sic] Based on Repeated Brady and Giglio Violations, filed March 1, 2018 (Doc. 1842)("Herrera MTD"); (iii) Defendant Rudy Perez's Motion to Dismiss, filed March 1, 2018 (Doc. 1844)("Perez MTD");2 (iv) Defendant Daniel Sanchez's Motion for Judgment of Acquittal ( FRCP Rule 29 ) or, in the Alternative, a New Trial ( FRCP Rule 33 ), filed October 9, 2018 (Doc. 2408)("Sanchez NTM"); (v) Defendant Carlos Herrera's Motion for New Trial and Notice of Joinder, filed October 15, 2018 (Doc. 2413)("Herrera NTM"); and (vi) Defendant Anthony Ray Baca's Motion for New Trial and Notice of Joinder, filed October 15, 2018 (Doc. 2421)("Baca NTM"). The Court held a hearing on the motions to dismiss in the middle of trial, from February 28, 2018 to March 2, 2018, and an evidentiary hearing on December 17-18, 2018, in which the motions for new trial were also heard. The primary issues are: (i) whether Plaintiff United States of America violated its discovery obligations under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) (" Brady"), and Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 92 S.Ct. 763, 31 L.Ed.2d 104 (1972) (" Giglio"),3 by belatedly disclosing information to the Defendants; (ii) whether the United States' belated disclosures constitute outrageous government conduct such that dismissing the charges against the Defendants is appropriate; (iii) whether no reasonable factfinder could believe the United States' story and find D. Sanchez, Herrera, and Baca guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, requiring a judgment of acquittal for these three men; and (iv) whether D. Sanchez, Herrera, and Baca suffered a miscarriage of justice during trial such that they are entitled to a new trial. The Court concludes that no Brady or Giglio violation occurred, and it also concludes that the United States' belated disclosures are not outrageous government conduct warranting dismissal. The Court further concludes that a rational factfinder could find D. Sanchez, Herrera, and Baca guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, that they had a fair trial, and that no miscarriage of justice occurred. The Court therefore denies the Sanchez MTD, the Herrera MTD, the Perez MTD, the Sanchez NTM, the Herrera NTM, and the Baca NTM.
The Court takes its background facts from the Second Superseding Indictment, filed March 9, 2017 (Doc. 947)("Indictment"). The background facts are largely unchanged from those facts that the Court provided in its Memorandum Opinion and Order, 323 F.R.D. 672 (D.N.M. 2017). The Court does not set forth these facts as findings or the truth. The Court...
To continue reading
Request your trial
-
United States v. Baca
...Discrediting a witness' veracity, however, is the definition of impeachment. See United States v. DeLeon, No. CR 15-4268 JB, 428 F.Supp.3d 841, 1168 n.157 (D.N.M. Oct. 29, 2019) (Browning, J.)(citing Definition of Impeach, Black Law's Dictionary (11th ed. 2019)(defining impeach as "[t]o dis......
-
United States v. Baca
... ... Sarah M. Gorman, Law Offices of Robert D. Gorman, Albuquerque, New Mexico --and-- Susan M. Porter, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Attorneys for Defendant Angel DeLeon. Richard Sindel, Sindel, Sindel & Noble, P.C., Clayton, Missouri --and-- Brock Benjamin, Benjamin Law Firm, El Paso, Texas, Attorneys for Defendant Joe Lawrence Gallegos. Patrick J. Burke, Patrick J. Burke, P.C., Denver, Colorado --and-- Cori Ann Harbour-Valdez, The Harbour Law Firm, P.C., El Paso, ... ...