Man Arrived Legless in SDNY Via Oklahoma in Gun Case Now Co-D Gets 186 Months

Man Arrived Legless in SDNY Via Oklahoma in Gun Case Now Co-D Gets 186 Months by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 4 – Ira Booker was charged with conspiracy to traffic in narcotics and automatic weapons, with the Sinaloa Cartel and even Al Shabaab. He was arrested in California on February 24, 2023.  Two months later, on April 25, 2023 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang arraigned Booker, who was in a wheelchair.    His lawyer said that while being transferred from California to New York via the hub in Oklahoma, he was left in a place in shackles, got blood clots and ended up having a leg amputated.    Upon arrival in New York, rather than the MDC in Brooklyn, he was placed in a rehabilitation center in the Bronx named Gold Crest. After arraignment he was to be taken back there.   On April 27 District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden to her credit ordered records, albeit under seal. On May 9, 2023Judge Rearden held a status conference, with Booker still in Gold Crest: "Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Jennifer H. Rearden: Status Conference as to Ira Booker held on 5/4/2023. Defendant Ira Booker present by telephone from Gold Crest Care center with Federal Defender by video... The Court requested a status letter." Jump cut nearly a year to May 3, 2024 - Booker's medical condition still unresolved: "As soon as a medical evaluation of Defendant Booker has taken place, the Government is directed to submit a status report." Jump cut to January 30, 2025 when after Federal Defenders confirmed they won't insist on being present, a mental evaluation was ordered up: "ORDER as to Ira Booker. it is hereby ORDERED as follows: Dr. Cheryl Paradis is appointed by the Court to conduct a psychological examination of Defendant Booker pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 4241(b), in order to assist the Court in determining whether the Defendant presently is suffering from a mental disease or defect which renders him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense. The psychological examination shall be conducted at East Orange General Hospital. A status conference will be scheduled to take place promptly after Dr. Paradis's report is submitted to the Court and disclosed to the parties (Signed by Judge Jennifer H. Rearden on 1/30/25) On February 25 Judge Rearden docketed that co-defendant Mittel Patel "may wish to enter a change of plea." On April 4, Patel pled guilty, with sentencing set for August 7. A competency hearing for Booker was set. On April 15, Booker was ruled mentally incompetent, then this order: "The Defendant shall forthwith be committed to the custody of the Attorney General, who shall hospitalize the Defendant for treatment in a "suitable facility," for such a reasonable period of time, not to exceed four months, as is necessary to determine whether there is a substantial probability that in the foreseeable future he will attain the capacity to permit the proceedings to go forward. After the Defendant's first 60 days at the suitable facility, the responsible examining physician shall submit an interim report to the Court." On July 16, the US Attorney's Office wrote in that Booker would be in a "suitable medical facility in September 2025. But as of February 11, 2026, nothing since no Booker as counsel to co-defendant Patel, also in the Luigi Mangione case, asked for 10 years or 120 months on March 4. On March 4 he got 186 months and a press release which made no mention of Booker and his missing leg. The case is  USA v. Patel, et al., 1:23-cr-120 (Rearden) *** 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