Eastern District of California Blog

EDCA Court Releases Man Accused Of Threatening Biotech Employees

A Sacramento federal judge last week refused to hold a man in jail who has admitted directing murderous threats at the founder and employees of a Placerville biotech firm mentioned in a viral YouTube video as a recipient of fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood.

Catherine “Cate” Dyer says she and employees of her company, StemExpress LLC, are terrified that Scott Anthony Orton or someone else will make good on the threats. 

Orton, 57, a resident of Puyallup, Wash., has admitted to the FBI that he let loose with a torrent of inflammatory invective in a series of Internet messages aimed at Dyer and her employees. He offered a reward to anyone who would kill Dyer and further said he would do it himself.

The messages were posted on the Fox Nation website two days after the July 14 release of a video recorded surreptitiously and released on the Internet by anti-abortion activists at the Center for Medical Progress, showing an unsuspecting Planned Parenthood doctor explaining how at least one Northern California Planned Parenthood clinic provides fetal tissue to Dyer’s company.

Sac Bee, 1/4/16

 

 

Carissa Carpenter Fraud Case Coverage

Here is the Sacramento Bee's coverage about the Carissa Carpenter fraud case and today's arraignment.

Bail Granted For Man Suspected Of Setting Rim Fire

A U.S. District Court judge in Fresno allowed for the release Friday of the Central California man suspected of starting last year's massive Rim fire.

Judge Gary Austin, who on Wednesday objected to the release of Keith Matthew Emerald, 32, of Columbia, with a cashier's check, approved his release during a 20-minute hearing on Friday.

Fresno Bee, 8/15/14

Teausant Ordered Detained

Nicholas Michael Teausant, accused as a terror suspect, lost his bid to win release on bail Tuesday, with a federal judge saying Teausant’s credibility is questionable and that the charge he faces is too serious to take a chance on letting him out of jail for now.

U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez said he could not go along with a plan that would have allowed Teausant to be released on $200,000 bail and sent to live with his grandmother and her husband at their Woodbridge home.

Sacramento Bee

Notable Sacramento Bail Rulings Yesterday

Yesterday, Magistrate Judge Claire ordered firearms/explosives suspect James Christopher Malcolm detained, Sacramento Bee, but ordered Nicholas Michael Teausant, the Lodi man alleged to have been on his way to Syria to assist rebels, released on a $200,000 bond with restrictive conditions.  Sacramento Bee.  Judge Claire stayed the release order to permit the government to appeal the bail decision to district judge Mendez.

Wannakuwatte Denied Bail As Flight Risk

After listening to a prosecutor say that losses to victims of fraud perpetrated by Sacramento-area businessman Deepal Wannakuwatte total $150 million and the government's evidence against him is strong, a federal magistrate judge [Allison Claire] on Thursday ordered Wannakuwatte held without bail as a flight risk.

[updated article, Sacramento Bee, 3/6/14].

And more Sacramento Bee articles (3/5/14 and 3/6/14) focus on his prior financial problems and recent civil lawsuits filed against him.  

 

Owner of Former Sacramento World Tennis Team Arrested for Fraud

A Sacramento businessman and owner of the city’s former World TeamTennis franchise has been arrested in a federal fraud case.

Deepal Wannakuwatte was named in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento and was arrested Thursday evening. . . .

Wannakuwatte, a 63-year-old native of Sri Lanka, made his initial appearance in court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn K. Delaney, who advised him of the charges against him and his legal rights. She set a bail hearing for next Thursday and ordered that he remain in custody until then.

* * *

The case involves Wannakuwatte’s medical supply business, International Manufacturing Group, and doesn’t appear to be related to his ownership of the Sacramento Capitals.

Sacramento Bee, 2/21/14

 

Arraignment in Bakersfield "Spice" Case

On Friday, a man charged with conspiracy and distributing synthetic marijuana called "spice" through the Bakersfield smoke shop Havana House was ordered released pending trial after agreeing to post three houses for bail.  Bakersfield Now, 12/20/13 and video.  No. 1:13-CR-0429-AWI.

 

Bail Granted In Tribal Theft Case

Bart Wayne Volen, once a prominent Sacramento-area developer and contractor, has an impressive list of assets, and now federal prosecutors want them, plus double-digit incarceration.

So, they argue, he should have to stay in jail until he pleads or is found guilty because, facing prison and financial penalties that spell total ruin, he will use his liquidity and familiarity with international travel to flee.

But U.S. Magistrate Judge Dale A. Drozd didn't see it that way Friday. At the conclusion of a protracted hearing stretching over parts of two days, the judge ordered Volen released on $3.5 million bail to be secured by a home in Maui and his son's signature on an $800,000 bond.

Sacramento Bee, 9/1/12

New EDCA Chief U.S. Pretrial Services Officer

Congratulations to Gina Faubion, who was selected as the new EDCA Chief U.S. Pretrial Services Officer to replace Sandy Hall who retires at the end of the year.