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By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive, Patreon

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 2 – While many or 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 October 2 Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox had three defendants in the same alleged narcotics conspiracy. 19-cr-690. But of the three presented, only Luis Meson was detained - and the difference was not explained, anywhere. 

Then Judge Fox rejected a request by detainee Saleena R. Soumare to be allowed to take a previously scheduled and paid for trip to Jamaica before returning to Virginia to face charges of drunk driving on the Quantico military base.

It was the last presentment of the day after a man charged with a $2 million P.R. firm fraud was allowed to travel to New Jersey and soon points beyond. Ms. Soumare had a Federal Defender and her boyfriend, a veteran, in the gallery where only Inner City Press remained.

She argued that a letter she received from the military, that her attendance at an August 21 "debarment" proceeding was not mandatory, led her to believe she did not have to show up in the Eastern District of Virginia on August 26.

While no one could or would give Inner City Press the SDNY docket number of the case, for-pay PACER finds in EDVA 19-mj-00373, although Inner City Press is told it is not authorized to view the warrant.

After Judge Fox denied her request to travel to Jamaica, she was asked to make a call on Thursday and send, from the holding pen, "I don't have a phone."

Her boyfriend, upset, told Inner City Press, "All because of a grudge." He was advised then not to speak to the Press. But who will tell his story, The Case of the Quantico DWI and the Wasted Jamaica Vacation? We'll have more on this.

 On September 30: a Ponzi schemer dressed in New York Giants pajama pants. James T. Booth, as is rare, did not waive the public reading of the indictment against him.

It was signed, sealed, on September 27 by Judge Robert W. Lehrburger, and describes Booth telling a widow "she would have $1 million by the time she was 100 years old." Booth swindled money from a child's college fund and for the care of a disabled sibling. He's out on his own signature, though. The case is US v. Booth, 19-cr-00699 (Koeltl).

Inner City Press will stay on the case.

SW