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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 2 – 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 October 1 Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox filed a sealed indictment against an alleged public relations fraudster and on October 2 after a delay set him free on bail to New Jersey and soon elsewere.

The US Attorney's Office for the SDNY at 1:30 pm tweeted their arrest of Andrew Garson, which had occured at 6 am. But at 6:30 pm, with Garson seated in the Magistrates Court with two retained attorneys, no Assistant US Attorney turned up. Judge Fox asked his Deputy to call, repeatedly. Eventually she spoke to another AUSA in the Mag Court, waiting to request the passport of a woman for allegedly driving drunk on Quantico base in Virginia.

 It was 6:55 pm when AUSA Christopher J. DiMase rolled in. He said he was considering Garson's request to travel even beyond New Jersey. Garson was released on his own signature, a $500,000 bond with two financial responsible co-signed given two weeks to appear. Judge Swain will hear more of it on October 22 at 2:30 pm. Public relations indeed.

Later on October 2 Judge Fox rejected a request by detainee Saleena R. Soumare to be allowed to take a previously scheduled and paid for trip to Jamaica before returning to Virginia to face charges of drunk driving on the Quantico military base.

Ms. Soumare had a Federal Defender and her boyfriend, a veteran, in the gallery where only Inner City Press remained.

She argued that a letter she received from the military, that her attendance at an August 21 "debarment" proceeding was not mandatory, led her to believe she did not have to show up in the Eastern District of Virginia on August 26.

While no one could or would give Inner City Press the SDNY docket number of the case, for-pay PACER finds in EDVA 19-mj-00373, although Inner City Press is told it is not authorized to view the warrant.

After Judge Fox denied her request to travel to Jamaica, she was asked to make a call on Thursday and send, from the holding pen, "I don't have a phone."

Her boyfriend, upset, told Inner City Press, "All because of a grudge." He was advised then not to speak to the Press. But who will tell his story, The Case of the Quantico DWI and the Wasted Jamaica Vacation? We'll have more on this.

SW