SDNY COURTHOUSE, August 26 – While many even most cases in the Magistrates Court of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York are sealed or have case numbers given only later, on August 26 before Magistrate Judge Katherine H. Parkerdefendant Alex Ulloa was brought in with retained counsel Lance Lazzaro, charged with five kilograms or more of cocaine and guns. His case number was read out, as 19-mj-8007. But in PACER, that comes back "Cannot find case 19-mj-8007." Lazzaro waived a preliminary hearing, saying he is preparing a bail package.
Earlier on August 16 a defendant referred to as Mr. Alvarez was brought in extradited from the Dominican Republic charged with the 1999 killing of Jose Miguel Mendez, guns and drugs, with the case number twice given as 13-cr-454.
But that case number is for US v. Raul Lebron for false worker's compensation claims. The number was read out twice on August 26 - first when Alvarez pleaded guilty, then after that when Criminal Justice Act lawyer Matthew Kluger was appointed as his counsel. The case is assigned to Judge Kimba Wood, whom the AUSA said is unavailable until after Labor Day. Inner City Press will have more on this.
This despite the fact that Criminal Justice Act lawyer Irving Cohen asked Judge Gorenstein for two additional minutes to read the complaint to his client. It was summarized as involving the possession with intent to distribute of 100 grams of crack on June 5, 2019. So why then is it listed as sealed, even after the presentment? Inner City Press, the only media in the Magistrates Court for this, an hour after a Michael Avenatti / Nike conference, which Inner City Press live tweeted here, will continue to pursue this and other mysteries of the SDNY's murky Mag Court.
