SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Dec 3 –
Sergio
Zazueta Ochoa
was arrested
on July 31,
2023 at 4 pm
and appeared
on the
afternoon of
August 1 in
the U.S.
District Court
for the
Southern
District of
New York
Magistrates
Court. Inner
City Press was
there, the
only media in
the SDNY Mag
court.
Ochoa is
charged with
conspiracy to
distribute
narcotics, and
distribution
of narcotics.
To the
surprise of
some, the
Federal
Defender
consented to
detention -
without
prejudice to a
subsequently
application
for bail, she
pointed out.
The
preliminary
hearing was
set for August
15, if Ochoa
was not
indicted or
additional
time sought in
the interest
of
justice.
But on August
14, the
indictment was
filed: two
counts
conspiracy and
distribution,
specifying 100
grams and more
with a
detectable
amount of
para-fluorofentanyl.
It was
wheeled out to
District Judge
Arun
Sabramanian,
who set the
arraignment
for August 21
at 10 am.
Inner City
Press went.
There,
the Assistant
US Attorney
described
Ochoa meeting
with an
undercover
agent with
five kilos of
a fentanyl
analogue in
his backpack.
There may be
an issue as to
a protective
order given
that the video
shows the
undercover.
The Federal
Defender said
no plan to
apply for
bail. Motions
are due
November 1,
with a next
conference on
December 5 at
10 am at which
a trial date
will be set.
The AUSA said
Ochoa waived
his Miranda
rights but
that it is not
on the video,
nor apparently
in writing...
On
September 11
he pled
guilty, with
sentencing set
for December
17.
On
December 3,
Federal
Defenders
wrote in
asking for
time served:
""more than 16
months of
brutal
detention."
The
case is US v.
Ochoa,
23-cr-416
(Subramanian)
***
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