SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 30 – Matthew Ryan for three years bribed a Doctor Joseph Olivieri to issue unneeded prescriptions for oxycodone, oxymorphone, testosterone, alprazolam and nandrolone. On July 30 he and his lawyer John S. Wallenstein argued to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of the New York Judge Paul A. Crotty that he is now in recovery but might revert if put in prison. The guidelines called for a sentence of 51 to 63 months; the US Probation Office recommended 36 months.
Wallenstein went further, requesting mere probation and supervised release, giving as an example that Ryan would not be able to travel to Florida on weekends with his friends - absent Judge Crotty's approval. After hearing the arguments Judge Crotty read from a statement he'd seemingly written in advance - it was not clear if he made any revision - and accepted Probation's recommendation: 36 months in prison.
Wallenstein asked for Fort Dix and the R-DAP program, with self surrender on October 1 or within seven days of designation to facility, whichever is earlier. The Oxy wars continues. This case is USA v. Brady, 18-cr-316 (PAC).
Wander Reyes came to the US from the Dominican Republic three years ago and tried to find work. What he found, and on July 30 was sentenced to 30 months in prison for, was a conspiracy to try to rob 15 kilos of heroin using, among other things, a fake police car.
Before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Gregory H. Woods, Wander Reyes emphasized that he is young and this just sort of happened. Judge Woods, usually moved by defendant's statements, took issue with this one. These things do not just happened, he said, mention zip ties and fake guns.
Assistant US Attorney Celia V. Woods added an arrest of Wander Reyes for the rape of a 12 year old. Judge Woods said there has been no conviction so he would not give that weight. Wander Reyes' defense lawyer Zachary Taylor argued among other things that since Reyes will in all probability be deported after he serves his time in US prison, he won't pose a danger "to Americans."
Still, even while Judge Woods said he expects an ICE detainer to be filed against WanderReyes, he imposed three years of supervised release. Will New York State proceeding on the rape of 12 year old charge while Wander Reyes is in Federal prison, or wait? Or just forget about it? Inner City Press will continue to follow these cases. This case is USA v. Wander Reyes, 19-cr-192 (GHW).
Back on July 23 with the courtroom nearly full for a mere scheduling proceeding for Michael Avenatti, three stories beneath a man was pleading guilty and agreeing to 87 months in prison in an nearly empty courtroom. There were only Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald and her deputy, one Assistant US Attorney, defendant Polanco, his interpreter and his lawyer - and Inner City Press. The allocution was not as smooth as it might have been.
Asked to confirm that he was pleading guilty, Mr. Polanco said, "What else can I do?" This took some unwinding: you could go to trial.
He said in Spanish, Tengo que ir a juico, which means, I have to go to trial. But one could also translate it, I have to be brought to justice. He sold heroin and fentanyl to an undercover agent. And on November 5 at the same 2:30 pm he will be sentenced. Inner City Press will stay on this and other cases in the SDNY.
