UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, v. Criminal Action No. 1:21-cr-00322 (CJN) PAUL MAUCHA, Defendant. MEMORANDUM OPINION Defendant Paul Maucha, soon to be tried on conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering charges, has spent the two years since his initial arrest on pretrial release. But after the Government moved detention on the basis of pretrial violations and sought revocation of a Magistrate J order permitting his release under amended conditions, the Court ordered his detention. The Court sets out here the findings and reasons behind that decision. I. Background On April 27, 2021, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Maucha with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; three counts of Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and two counts of Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Criminally Derived Property in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. Indictment, ECF No. 1. These charges, in short, fraud scheme with his co-defendant Melisa Shapiro. See id. Maucha and Shapiro allegedly made misrepresentations about a shell company they controlled, American Eagle Services Group Inc. See id. ¶ 7. 1 Maucha was arrested on these charges on May 12, 2021, and then ordered released to the supervision of the Pretrial Services Agency on personal recognizance. See Order Setting ; Appearance Bond, ECF No. 7-1. The conditions of release required, among other things, that Maucha (1) not violate federal, state, or local law while on release ; (2) surrender any passport to the Pretrial Services Agency; (3) not obtain a passport or other international travel document ; (4) stay within the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia area, absent court approval of travel outside that area; and (5) contact the Pretrial Services Agency for a pretrial interview following his release. Release Order at 1 3. Maucha acknowledged the penalties and sanctions that could come with a violation of the release conditions, including detention upon revocation of release. Id. at 4. Nearly e on these conditions, the Government moved for an order of detention and revocation of release, alleging that Maucha had violated the condition that he not commit a federal, state, or local crime. See In particular, the Government argued that Maucha had falsely represented to a Pretrial Services officer, during an interview that occurred two days after his release, that he was born in New York and is a U.S. citizen. Through such conduct, the Government alleged, Maucha violated 18 U.S.C. § 1001, which makes it a felony . . . make[] any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or Government (except for statements or representations by a party to a judge or magistrate judge in a judicial proceeding). 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a) (b). Maucha was arrested, and he appeared for a hearing on the revocation motion before a Magistrate Judge. 2 Following that hearing, on June 2, 2023, the Magistrate Judge orally denied the G . First, the Magistrate Judge found under 18 U.S.C. § 3148(b)(1)(A) …
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