| In
Sinaloa Cartel
Case in SDNY
One In Earlier
Pled Guilty
Now Merida
Sanchez in
SDNY
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE,
May15 รข€“ Back on April 14, 2023
DOJ announced the unsealing of
fentanyl trafficking, weapons,
and money laundering charges
contained in three Indictments
charging 28 defendants,
including 23 based in Mexico,
four based in China, and one
based in Guatemala, adding
that "JULIO MARIN GONZALEZ was
previously arrested in the
United States and will be
arraigned before U.S. District
Judge Katherine Polk
Failla." Inner City
Press, covering the U.S.
District Court for the
Southern District of New York,
went to Gonzelez' arraignment
on April 20. He had been
appointed a CJA lawyer, whose
associate and a paralegal were
there, the latter translating
the indictment to Gonzalez. He
said they have "begun
discussing" it; he pled "no
cupable" / not guilty. The AUSA
when asked said there were no
victims, at least under the
statute. On June 6, 2024,
Inner City Press was in the
SDNY Magistrates Court when
co-defendant Silvano Francisco
Mariano was brought in,
extradited from Colombia with
drug, gun and money laundering
charges. He was assigned a
(white shoe) CJA lawyer and
was detained on consent,
already in Essex County
Correctional Facility yellow. On June 5, 2025
counsel to co-defendant
Mariano asked to push the June
10 conference into late July,
to "continue ongoing plea
negotiations." Jump cut to
August 13 when two more in the
case were presented in the
SDNY Magistrates Court, the
day after they and others were
flown in from Mexico. Others
questioned the legality of
their extraditions - in this
case, the two new detainees
ostensibly said the same
retained lawyer, who said a
CJA had been brought in "only
for presentment" based on what
Clerk said. Can joint
representation continue? On August 20 the
US Attorney's Office wrote in
noting the two's "desire to be
represented by the same
counsel" - and proposing
Curcio hearing questions for
August 21. Inner City Press
went. On September 3
co-defendant 18 Sergio Duarte
Frias pled guilty, with
sentencing set for December 16
at 3 pm. On December 2 his
defense lawyer wrote in asking
for the minimum - 60 months -
on December 16. On December 9 the
US Attorney's Office wrote in
asking for 108 months. On December 16,
he got 80 months. On January 22,
2026 the US Attorney's Office
write in on co-defendant Rubio
Zea asking for a
substantial sentence albeit
less than the 108 months
stipulated by the parties, on
January 27. In fact, she got
six months. On March 5, 2026
co-defendant Mariano pled
guilty to count two, with
sentencing set for July 31. On May 15,
Gerarlo Merida Sanchez was
brought before SDNY Chief
Magistrate Judge Sarah
Netburn, and into the case.
Inner City Press was there,
and live tweeted: He's drawn as
counsel former prosecutor
Sarah Krissoff (who also reps
Nadine Menendez) All rise! Deputy:
This is US v. Sanchez.
Defense: Sarah Krissoff for
Mr. Merida Sanchez. Judge:
Time of arrest? AUSA: He was
arrested in Arizona and
arrived in this District last
night. Judge: I
understand your client
consents to detention. AUSA:
Judge Failla has set a
conference for June 1. We ask
for Speedy Trial Act time to
be excluded. Judge: Done Inner City Press
remains on the case(s). The overall
case is USA v. Guzman Salazar,
1:23-cr-180 (Failla)
*** Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
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Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222 NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis. Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com |
Friday, May 22, 2026
In Sinaloa Cartel Case in SDNY One In Earlier Pled Guilty Now Merida Sanchez in SDNY
Harvey Weinstein Jury Deadlocked so 2d Mistrial with Exhibits Still Not Made Available and Seinfeld Joke
100 CENTRE STREET, May 15
-- Harvey Weinstein was in
his wheelchair, this time with Marc Agnifilo, Teny Geragos
and Jacob Kaplan as his lawyers, as opening arguments
began before NYS Justice Curtis Farber on April 21. Inner
City Press was there and live tweeted. So too on May 5,
when the two sides fought about exhibits that are still
not being provided to the public and press.
On May 1 Inner City
Press put together a letter as it had with Justice Gregory
Carro down the hall during his Luigi Mangione hearing
(after which Justice Carro ordered the parties to provide
exhibits). Yes, NYS Justices still list fax numbers and
not emails and no, they do not seem to still have fax
machines. But Justice Farber got the letter. Letter here.
And see new book,
Harvey Weinstein's Last Stand, e-book
and audiobook.
Nothing has happened.
As of 5 pm five days later, not a single exhibit has been
provided.
On May 13,
Weinstein said he had chest pains, Justice Farber said,
and was not brought into the courtroom. Jurors were sent
home early after asking for a Powerpoint slide based on
exhibits - none of which have been made available to the
public or Press, despite its May 1 letter.
On May 14 Harvey
Weinstein was back, but coffee that Justice Farber
promised the jurors was not. After read-backs of Jessica
Mann's testimony, Justice Farber called it a day with a
joke about the Seinfeld episode about the car rental
agency taking reservations but not honoring them.
On May 15, the jury
said twice it could not reach a unanimous decision.
Between the two, Weinstein and his lawyers chatted,
smiling. The prosecutors were given until June 25 to state
whether they want to do a re-trial, again. They still did
not make available exhibits, despite Inner City Press' May
1 letter to Justice Farber.
Turkish Woman Charged With Using Kalder To Defraud Pleads Guilty so Sentencing Sept 17
| Turkish Woman Charged With
Using Kalder To Defraud Pleads
Guilty so Sentencing Sept 17
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack SDNY
COURTHOUSE, May
15 รข€“ A businesswoman is
charged with using her
company, Kalder, to commit
fraud in connection with her
model of embedding cash-back
and rewards programs directly
into the websites of clients,
including for example two
Brazilian sports teams.
She had a
proceeding on January 6 before
U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Inner
City Press was
there. The AUSA
describe a laptop extraction
so big it cannot be viewed on
government computers, and
subpoenas out to the two
Brazilian teams. The defendant
is a Turkish national, she
said, necessitating
interpretation beyond Google
Translate. Also, the
defendant's company and its
law firm are being slow in
complying with a grand jury
subpoena. The
defense opposed any exclusion
of time under the Speedy Trial
Act. Judge Kaplan called it a
serious motion - and for that
reason said he would exclude
time until the motion is
decided. On January 8 the
US Attorney's Office wrote in
that it arrested her when it
did because as a non citizen
it was concerned that another
opportunity to arrest her in
the US might not have
occurred. On January 12
putting in a notice of
appearance to represent Guven
was Danielle Sassoon formerly
of the US Attorney's Office
(including the SBF and Eric
Adams prosecutions), now at
Clement & Murphy in DC.
And the other defense
attorneys? On January 20,
this order: "The government's
motion to exclude the period
from today to and including at
least June 15, 2026, under the
Speedy Trial Act is granted.
This ruling is without
prejudice to any application
to extend the exclusion and
postpone the trial in the
event that should prove
appropriate." And on January
27, this: "as to Gokce Guven.
Defendant's amended
application to remove the ex
parte designation and thus
disclose to her the redactions
and omissions from the motion
papers as served on the
non-party (Dkt 31) is denied
in all respects" - citing
grand jury secrecy. On March 2 Judge
Kaplan granted the US' "motion
to compel to the extent that
Kalder shall comply wiht
Subpoena II by March 9. It is
denied in all other respects." On March 12 the
US Attorney's Office wrote in
asking that Kalder and its
officers in contempt and then
"impose a penalty of $1000 a
day." On May 15, "Gร–Kร‡E
GรœVEN, the founder and former
Chief Executive Officer of
Kalder Inc. (รข€œKalderรข€), pled
guilty to one count of
securities fraud in connection
with a scheme to defraud the
investors in Kalder."
Sentencing is set for
September 17. More on X for
Subscribers here
and on Substack here The case is USA v. Guven, 1:25-cr-592 (Kaplan)
*** Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
here to become a patron.
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station,
NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis. Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com |
Shooting of Baby in The Bronx Resulted in 3 Detentions 1 Pled Now a 2d Only to Crack
| Shooting
of Baby in The
Bronx Resulted
in 3
Detentions 1
Pled Now a 2d
Only to Crack
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE,
May 15 รข€“
Two men were
presented and
detained in
Manhattan
Federal court
on August 9,
2023 for a
shooting of an
11-month-old
baby in
January 2022.
The baby was
in the
courtroom -
and so was
Inner City
Press. Thread:
OK
- now
presentment of
AHMED ALTOREI
& SAMUEL
BAUTISTA after
a street
shooting on
Jan 19, 2022,
targeting a
rival drug
dealer but
shot an
11-month-old
baby in the
face.
Courtroom
filling. Deputy:
Mr Lazzaro,
are you
consenting?
[To detention]
A:
Yes. [This
could be a
short one] In
the gallery, a
couple with a
baby...
All rise! Lance
Lazzaro, for
Ahmed Altorei
(he i$
retained) Federal
Defender for
Samuel
Bautista, with
financial
affidavit. Judge:
Cocaine base
aka crack
sales, using
guns,
brandished and
discharged.
Bautista is a
felon, with
.380
ammo Judge:
Both consent
to detention
without
prejudice.
Medical order
as to Mr
Bautista.
AUSA: Next is
Sept 8 at 11
am in the U.S.
District Court
for the
Southern
District of
New York. Afterward,
the couple and
the now older
than a year
baby went out
together down
the hall. On
September 8,
the two were
back in court,
before SDNY
Chief Judge
Laura Taylor
Swain. Inner
City Press was
there. Beyond
setting the
next
conference for
November 15 at
11:30 am,
Bautista asked
to be released
on bond. The
AUSA responded
with a
narrative of
the background
to the
shooting: a
feud with
Tyrone Handley
a/k/a Smokey,
in and around
2860 Grand
Concourse and
198th Street
in The Bronx.
The baby's
parents spoke,
and urged that
detention be
continued. As
docketed on
September 12,
it was. On
October 5,
docketed
October 6, a
superseding
indictment,
with Altorei,
Bautista and
Ronald Coradin
a/k/a
Scrappy... On February 16, 2024 there was a hearing; Inner City Press went, the only media there. AUSA:We
will complete
discovery in a
month, and
return to
court May 14.
It
was November
13 when Inner
City Press was
back in the
courtroom on
the case, the
three
defendants -
one with a
foot issue -
in the jury
box, from the
thread: One
of the three
detained
defendant
needs to be
seen by
outside
doctor; AUSA
says OK but
date will not
be given. Three
week trial in
3 to 6 months.
On
April 21, 2025
it got more
specific: "as
to Ahmed
Altorei,
Ronald Coradin
the trial in
this case is
hereby
scheduled to
begin with
jury selection
on February 9,
2026, at 9:30
AM. The final
pretrial
conference is
adjourned to
January 30,
2026, at 11:00
AM in
Courtroom 17C.
The Government
is directed to
confer with
the parties,
and by April
28, 2025, to
file a joint
letter
proposing a
date for the
next
conference" On
June 12
co-defendant
Bautista filed
a motion for,
among other
things,
severance. On
August 15
Chief Judge
Swain denied
the motion to
sever. On
August 22
co-defendant
Coradin wrote
in opposing
any tolling of
the Speedy
Trial Act
clock, and
asking for a
new lawyer. Docketed
on September
11, Chief
Judge Swain
appointed a
new "CJA
counsel for
Mr. Coradin in
the
above-captioned
matter. SO
ORDERED.
(Signed by
Judge Laura
Taylor Swain
on
9/11/2025)." On
October 23
co-defendant
Samuel
Bautista wrote
in through
counsel to
request notice
if the
Government
intends to use
any of the 647
recorded jail
calls by Juan
Ortiz and
material under
Kyles v.
Whitley. On
November 26,
"NOTICE OF
CASE
REASSIGNMENT
as to Ahmed
Altorei, to
Judge George
B. Daniels.
Judge Laura
Taylor Swain
no longer
assigned to
the case." On
December 15 a
guilty plea
was set:
"Set/Reset
Hearings as to
Ahmed Altorei:
Change of Plea
Hearing set
for 12/17/2025
at 02:00 PM
before Judge
George B.
Daniels." That
was pushed
back: "ORDER
as to Ahmed
Altorei. The
change-of-plea
hearing
previously
scheduled for
December 17,
2025, having
been
continued, is
hereby
scheduled for
January 7,
2026, at 9:45
a.m." On
January 7, the
trial was
pushed back:
"Conference as
to Ahmed
Altorei held
on
1/7/2026.
The trial date
of February 9,
2026 is
continued, and
a provisional
trial date is
set for July
13, 2026. On
April 21,
another
conference -
May 6 - was
set: " Status
conference
held. The
parties are
directed to
appear for a
pretrial
conference on
Wednesday, May
6, 2026, at
10:00 a.m.
(Pretrial
Conference set
for 5/6/2026
at 10:00 AM
before Judge
George B.
Daniels)." Just
before,
Altorei pled
guilty. The
remaining two
were brought
into court May
6: All
rise! Defense:
We need more
investigative
materials if
we are going
to be ready
for trial in
July. My
client has
waited nearly
three years
for his trial.
But we need
these
materials.
Judge Daniels:
Have you asked
for them and
the Government
has refused? Defense:
We got some
materials at 4
am this
morning and
haven't had
time to review
them. On
translations,
there is
material in
Spanish and
Arabic. We
don't have
them
yet.
Asst US
Attorney: They
want NYPD
materials how
they were
identified.
But we worked
with FBI AUSA:
I personally
uploaded the
material at 4
am today,
after
receiving them
yesterday. Now
that's being
raised for
other reasons
it seems, so
be it. We are
at peace with
a July trial.
Judge: I need
this issue
sharpened so I
can decide it
2d
defense
lawyer: I am
in Chicago on
May 26 and
have a medical
appointment on
May 27 at
noon. Judge:
So, May 27 at
10 am 2d
defense
lawyer: Can my
client not
come? Unless
there is a
plea. It is
disruptive to
be brought
from the MDC
[jail] Judge:
I'd like him
here On
May 14,
another guilty
plea: "Change
of Plea
Hearing as to
Ronald Coradin
held on
5/14/2026.
Defendant
Ronald Coradin
pled guilty to
the
lesser-included
offense of
Count Five of
participating
in a
conspiracy to
distribute and
possess with
intent to
distribute 28
grams and more
of mixtures
and substances
containing a
detectable
amount of
cocaine base
in a form
commonly known
as "crack," in
violation of
21 U.S.C. ร ¸‡ร ¸‡
846 and
841(b)(1)(B).
Sentencing is
scheduled for
September 23,
2026 at 10:30
a.m" Inner
City Press
will stay on
the
case(s).
The case is now USA v. Altorei, et al., 1:23-cr-407 (Daniels)
*** Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
here to become a patron.
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222 NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis. Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com |