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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 18 – While many or even most cases in the Magistrates Court of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York are sealed or have case numbers given only later, on September 18 Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang processed a defendant named Yichao Chen for the crime of "laundering of monetary instruments." But the docket number given at the presentment, 19-mj-8776, even two hours later was "cannot find this case" in PACER.

Earlier on September 18 Judge Wang held a presentment for Miguel "Pipi" Sanchez, the lead defendant in a four-defendant crack conspiracy prosecution, a week after co-defendant Edwin "Spanky" Almonte was released on his own signature.

 For Sanchez, with retained (paid for) counsel Dawn M. Florio who is also paying a role in the trial involving Daniel "6ix9ine" Hernandez, signature was not enough. Prosecutor Alexandra Rothman told Judge Wang that her office is still interviewing bond signers and that Sanchez should be produced again from detention on September 19. The case is assigned to District Judge Ronnie Abrams.

On September 17 Judge Wang held a whispered sidebar about an accused bank robber then bound him over until the next day.

With Inner City Press the only media in the Mag Court the docket number was read out as 19-mj-8739, which did not show up in PACER an hour after the proceeding, and 12 hours after the arrest. The defendant's name was given as Miles Pickens, or perhaps Higgens. Neither showed up in PACER an hour after the proceeding.

But this defendant will show up again in the Mag Court on September 18 and Inner City Press, pending the Tekashi #6ix9ine trial, aims to be there.  

On September 12 a defendant named Ausencia Nazarrio Ortiz was presented and quickly detained upon consent, with no court date until October 15. 

Inner City Press will continue to cover this and other SDNY and 2nd Circuit cases - watch this site, and there is more on Patreon, here.