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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 26 – Glenn Blicht, president of International Longshoremen's Association Local 1964 in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, was presented on July 26 on honest services fraud charges before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Stewart Aaron. He wore a yellow t-shirt and had retained counsel, who tried to hand his passport to Assistant US Attorney Maureen Comey, filling in for AUSA Michael Neff, last seen at two dark web prosecutions on July 26).

  Blicht was released on $100,000 bond and free to travel in the tri-state area. According to the Complaint: "From 2009 through the present, BLICHT served as an officer of the Union, including as its president for many years.  In that role, BLICHT had a duty to act in the best interests of the Union and its members, including by avoiding personal financial conflicts of interest with the Union.  Nevertheless, BLICHT demanded and received cash payments from the Employer, which employed a number of members of the Union.  In exchange for these bribes, BLICHT declined to file arbitration claims on behalf of Union members.  In total, BLICHT received at least approximately $150,000 in bribes from the Employer over approximately 10 years.   In communications, a number of which were recorded, BLICHT repeatedly referred to the bribe payments as “tickets,” in which each ticket equaled a $1,000 bribe.  BLICHT instructed an official of the Employer (the “Official”) as to the number of “tickets” to pay BLICHT each time.  Indeed, during the past year, the Official met with BLICHT several times and paid him bribes on approximately three occasions, at the direction of law enforcement.  Each of these meetings was recorded." Inner City Press, which was present in the Mag Court on July 26, will continue to cover this case.

After being arrested and taken off a Qatar Airways flight at JFK airport, Delowar Mohammed Hossain was presented on July 26 before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Stewart Aaron, charged with one count of attempted provision of material support for terrorism. He was adjudged eligible for free counsel as was assigned experienced Federal Defender Amy Gallicchio.

  The US government sought, and got, detention, without prejudice to a later application for release on bond. The preliminary hearing was set 30 days out, for August 26. When someone asked about plea bargaining the answer was, It's a bit earlier for that, isn't it? Inner City Press will have more on this case, which has been assigned the number 19-mj-6978 (although that, even after the presentment, came up in PACER as "case not found").

While many even most cases in the Magistrates Court of the U.S.are sealed or have no case number given, on July 17 before Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox, things got more dramatic. In a case that, hours after the defendants were ordered released on bail remained listed as "sealed," Munif Ahmed stands accused of conspiracy to distribute large quantities of drugs from China and with telling the now cooperating witness, "Don't f*ck with me."

The government argued that Ahmed is a risk to flee to Yemen; his Criminal Justice Act lawyer said no, blood clots in his legs prevent him from flying. Then there was the matter of where Mr. Ahmed lives - on Anderson Avenue in the Bronx with his uncle or in the store on West 168th Street which he lists on his ID. This was ascribed to not having an interpreter during the interview with pre trial services.

Ahmed was ordered released on a $250,000 bond with $30,000 in cash or property. His co-defendant who called "Mr Lazzaro" before turning himself in must put up $40,000 cash. He drive Uber; Inner City Press predicts he or Mr. Lazzaro or his associate will move to relax the conditions of release to extend beyond the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Watch this site.  

On July 15 there was a more visceral mystery. Between two presentments and bond hearings no fewer than 10 NYC Emergency Medical Services paramedics rushed into the Mag Court cell block. Then emerged with a man on a gurney, followed by a US Marshal with shackles, on their way to "Downtown," the NY Downtown Hospital at 100 William Street. Better there than the MCC, someone said. Judge Fox then resumed processing defendants. There was Andre Muller in a white T-shirt presented for Hobbs Act Robbery, apparently in Maine. They said his case number was 19-MAG-6576 but when an hour later Inner City Press looked for it on PACER, it said "Cannot find case 19-mj-6576." He got $100,000 bond with two co-signed (he had four people in the Mag court gallery where Inner City Press was the only media). He has to appear in court in Maine on July 24. Judge Fox set a July 29 control date to make sure that he made it there.

There was Claudia Juarez Bernard, charged with narcotics conspiracy. In the Mag Court the case number 19-MAG-6580 was read out. But an hour later, after the gurney to the hospital from the cell block, this case number was still listed in PACER as "This case is under seal." She was released on $100,000 bond, on her signature, to the Central District of Florida. Federal Defenders said they would get her on the plane; she had been in detention since 2:30 am betwen Saturday and Sunday.

Back on July 11 a defendant with the last name Jones, no case number, was brought in charged with murder. He was detained, all the way until September 5 for his next appearance.

  Who is he? Whom did he allegedly kill? This was not said in Mag Court, and Inner City Press has been told to not ask questions. But we will. After Jones there was an interminable wait for a presentee for whom at least two names were given - Colin Williams - but for whom the various players wandered away seriatim. There was yet another, with report delayed. We hope to have more on this.

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