| Of 10 in Kidnap of
Bronx Minor Case US and Frias
Got 12 Years Now Exam on Ear
Dispute
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
Oct 10 – Ten defendants were
charged with conspiracy to
kidnap a minor, following a
robbery of a marijuana
business in The Bronx.
They appeared, most of them in
custody, before U.S. District
Court for the Southern
District of New York Chief
Judge Laura Taylor Swain.
Inner City Press was
there.
One defense
lawyer said there is an
interest in a co-defendants'
meeting, but that he doubted
MDC-Brooklyn would agree to
host it. Chief Judge Swain
asked the Marshals if it would
be possible in the courthouse.
By
the proceeding's end, she was
told that the Marshals could
try to arrange it, if given
advance notice.
Jump cut to July
22, when counsel for
co-defendant Jadel Araujo
wrote in request a date in
September for a change of plea
before the District Judge. It
was granted: "as to Jadel
Araujo - A plea hearing is
hereby scheduled to proceed in
this case on September 4,
2024, at 11:30 A.M. DE 185
resolved. SO ORDERED."
On August 9
counsel to co-defendant Ortega
filed motions for discovery,
narrating that "she never laid
a hand on the victim. Rather,
she complained to the
co-defendants who were
assaulting him that they
should stop, she asked one of
the co-defendants to give
water to the victim."
On November 19 a
co-defendant pled guilty: "
Change of Plea Hearing as to
Joshua Torres held on
11/19/2024. Defendant Joshua
Torres sworn. Defendant
withdrew not guilty plea,
waived reading of the
Indictment and entered a plea
of guilty as to Count One (1)
of the Indictment. PSI
ordered. Sentencing is
scheduled for 3/4/2025 at
2:30pm for this case.
Defendant continued remanded."
On December 6 for
the December 18 sentencing of
co-defendant Toribio, counsel
asked for time served.
On January 14 on
Araujo counsel wrote in asking
for 80 months total in this
and another case. Sentencing
was set for January 28.
On January 23,
the US Attorney's Office wrote
in asking for 146 months.
On January 28, he
got... 145 months: "Defendant
is sentenced to 124 months of
imprisonment as to Count One
(1), to run consecutively with
the sentence of 21 months of
imprisonment imposed in U.S. v
Araujo, 22 crim 539 (LTS), for
a total of 145 months."
On February 11,
co-defendant Randy Bautista
entered a plea of guilty as to
Count One of the S6
Information. PSI ordered.
Sentencing was scheduled for
June 24."
On February 26
the US Attorney's Office wrote
in asking for 168 months on
co-defendant Torres;
sentencing was scheduled for
March 4.
Torres was
sentenced to 84 months.
On April 1,
counsel for co-defendant
Bratini asked for time served
(22 months) on April 15.
On April 9, the
US Attorney's Office asked for
five years on Bratini.
On April 15
Bratini did not get time
served - and was told that he
is "amendable to deportation"
and must comply with
directives of the immigration
authorities. He was wished
well, wherever he ends up.
He was sentenced
to 42 months.
On June 9,
"Defendant Edwin Ramirez
withdrew not guilty plea,
waived reading of the
Indictment and entered a plea
of guilty as to Count One (1)
of the Indictment. PSI
ordered. Sentencing is
scheduled for 9/30/2025 at
2:30pm. Defendant continued
remanded."
On June 10
co-defendant Bautista asked
for time served on June 24. On
June 18, the US Attorney's
Office wrote in asking for
"the stipulated Guideline
sentence of 60 months
imprisonment" on that date.
On June 24,
docketed June 26, Bautista got
a year and a day, allowing for
good time credit.
On September 8
the US Attorney's Office asked
for 188 months on co-defendant
Castillo, set to be sentenced
on September 15.
On September 12
Castillo's lawyer turned in
his transcript of interviews
conducted on September 11 with
community residents saying
they would welcome Castillo
back into the community.
On September 19
both the US Attorney's Office
and counsel to co-defendant
Valentine Frias wrote in
asking for the 180 months they
had agreed to, with sentencing
set for October 2.
Inner City Press
went on October 2. Frias said
he was sorry, both side asked
for 15 years, as Probation
had. Chief Judge Swain after
break said 12 years was the
appropriate sentence. The
defense cited an ear condition
and the things in the prison
system may be worse under the
government shutdown
On October 10 the
US Attorney's Office wrote in
that contrary to counsel's
representations, on September
24 the defendant was taken to
the Ambulatory Care Center at
the Brooklyn Hospital
Center... he said he felt he
had a piece of tissue in his
ear canal, but no foreign body
was found in the canals. MDC
has scheduled an appoint for
the coming weeks.
More on this case
and the shutdown and the
court(s) on X for Subscribers
here
and Substack here.
The case is
USA v. Castillo, et al.,
1:23-cr-279 (Swain)
***
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