By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
SDNY COURTROOM, Nov 24 – In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on the late afternoon of November 24, the day before Thanksgiving, a detention proceeding was held by Magistrate Judge Stuart D. Aaron on a defendant charged with trying to bring into New York six kilograms of cocaine and a gun.
Inner City Press live tweeted here:
OK - defendant Carlos Gomez is brought in by US Marshals & Magistrate Judge Aaron takes the bench. Pause while interpreter sets up. One family member in gallery, one Criminal Justice Act attorney awaiting next case, and Inner City Press. No one else.
Assistant US Attorney: The US is seeking detention. Federal Defender: We have a bail package to propose. AUSA: Following pre-trial, we seek detention on dangerousness and risk of flight. There's a 10 year mandatory minimum and he has ties with Mexico.
AUSA: He and a co-defendant were transporting six kilos of cocaine and a gun into NYC. When it went missing, he called our Confidential Source and showed up and was arrested. Federal Defender: He's 35 with no record. He may be safety valve eligible.
Federal Defender: He lives in Los Angeles, in a house. His life is here. His wife is an American citizen and he has a path to legal status in this country. He is not off the radar. He is a business owner, he sends clothing to his boutique in Mexico.
Judge: Isn't he under removal proceedings? FD: I didn't speak with ICE. But he's involved with the immigration system.
AUSA: The gun makes him ineligible for the safety valve. [But for now, the gun is not charged, only a single narcotics conspiracy charge.]
Magistrate Judge Aaron takes a break with Pre-Trial, now returns, and says: "My decision comes down to the presumption, I don't think it's been rebutted here. There was a gun involved and secondly, the check shows there is no pending immigration application
Judge Aaron: So I am ordering Mr. Gomez detained.
[Marshals take him back into the holding cell.]
This case is US v. Gomez, 21-mj-11304 (Aaron)
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