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Driver for 200 Kilos of Drugs Was Free US
Wants 210 Months on Singh Virk
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY EXCLUSIVE,
June 18 - In the U.S.
District Court for the
Southern District of New York
on November 17, 2022 a
detention or bond proceeding
was held by Magistrate Judge
Jennifer E. Willis on a
defendant charged conspiring
to transport 200 kilos of
narcotics cross-country to New
York.
Inner City
Press was there, the only
media in the Mag Court.
The
defendant, Christopher Burgos,
had retained counsel, who
argued that his client has a
job driving trucks in airports
and should be released.
The
prosecutor sought detention.
But Judge Willis ruled that if
a $100,000 personal
recognizance bond is signed by
three other people, including
two family members (possibly
including the wife from whom
Burgos was said by his lawyer
to be separated), he could be
released.
He was. Jump-cut
to August 16, 2023, when
Burgos before Judge John P.
Cronan sat at the defense
table while his three
co-defendants were in the jury
box with US Marshals. Trial is
set for January 29, 2024 - but
issues have arisen about
discovery being designated
"attorney's eyes only," and
defendant Bhupinder Singh Virk
wants to argue for bail.
On August 28 he
did, and Inner City Press was
there - thread:
OK - now at bail
hearing on Bhupinder Singh
Virk in drug case. He offers
up three homes as collateral;
has asylum in US. He's from
India.
Defense lawyer:
My client is a Sikh &
would be killed by BJP party
police if he returns to India.
He is a member of the MANN
Party. He would not flee.
Judge: If he's
convicted, would he lose his
asylum status? Defense: Even
with conviction he might not
be removed
Judge: But
if he'd lose asylum if
convicted, wouldn't that give
him an incentive to flee now
to a country other than India?
Defense: He's never been
anywhere but India and the US.
Defense:
He's been threatened and
assaulted in MDC-Brooklyn
[haven't heard that from SBF,
only about no Adderall or
vegan meals]. Stories coming
Judge: Virk will
remain detained... US says he
had ghost guns... He faces 188
to 235 months... He could lose
asylum...
On November 20,
responding to an order from
Judge Cronan, the prosecutors
put into the docket warrants
and underlying affidavits for
the phones of co-defendant
Surinder Singh Cheema but
withhold border inspection /
CBP ROI and information from
CS-1, citing a 2015 decision
by then District Judge Alison
J. Nathan...
Then co-defendant
Bhupinder Singh Virk, a/k/a
the Joker, indicted he would
plead guilty, on December 6 at
1 pm.
On December 20,
another plea: "Minute Entry
for proceedings held before
Judge John P. Cronan: Change
of Plea Hearing as to Michael
Gian William Habib held on
12/20/2023. Defendant
pleaded guilty to Count One of
the Indictment. Sentencing set
for March 19, 2024."
On January 5 it
emerged that Burgos is set to
plead guilty - with instant
remand to be debated,
seemingly in light of SDNY
Judge Furman's decision in US
v. Chavez: "Christopher
Burgos's guilty plea hearing
is scheduled for January 9,
2024 at 10:00 a.m. in
Courtroom 12D of the Daniel
Patrick Moynihan United States
Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street,
New York, NY 10007. See Dkt.
20. By January 8, 2024, at
3:00 p.m., the parties shall
advise the Court, by joint
letter or individual letters,
of their views regarding
whether Defendants remand will
be mandatory in the event that
he enters a guilty plea. See
18 U.S.C. ยง 3143(a)(2). The
Court further respectfully
reminds defense counsel that
it expects counsel to prepare
Defendant for the possibility
of detention commencing at the
end of the plea proceeding, in
accordance with 6.B of the
Court's Individual Rules and
Practices in Criminal Cases
(Signed by Judge John P.
Cronan on 1/5/2024)."
On April 25 for
his May 7 sentencing,
co-defendant Surinder Singh
Cheema wrote his own letter to
Judge Cronan, including about
books he's read in jail: "the
books that helped me most were
The Secret, Rich Dad Poor Dad,
Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, The
Four Agreements and the Magic
of the Secret." He asked for
60 months - and to serve it in
Canada.
On May 8, the US
asked for 135 months on Cheema
- then on May 25 supplemented
that with new allegations of
directly drug debt shooting in
Toronto while in the MDC,
upping their request to 25
years. Judge Cronan the same
day docketed: "ORDER as to
Surinder Singh Cheema.
Defendant is ordered to advise
the Court by the end of the
day on Sunday, May 26, 2024,
whether he objects to the
facts asserted in the
Government's instant
submission, such that an
evidentiary hearing is
necessary. The Court is
considering a sentence above
the Guidelines range set forth
in the parties' plea
agreement. (Signed by Judge
John P. Cronan on 5/25/2024)
Sentencing was
set for May 28. On that day,
given the new issues, delay: "
Status Conference as to
Surinder Singh Cheema held on
5/28/2024. The parties shall
file status letters on or
before June 14, 2024. An
evidentiary hearing and
sentencing are scheduled for
July 1, 2024, at 10:00 a.m."
On June 4, the US
Attorney's Office wrote in and
asked for 30 years on Michael
Habib.
On June 18, the
US Attorney's Office asked for
210 months on Bhupinder Singh
Virk on June 25.
Inner City
Press will continue to cover
the case.
The case is US v.
Burgos, et al., 22-cr-618
(Cronan)
***
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