STIPULATION AND ORDER TO CONTINUE STATUS CONFERENCE

JOHN A. MENDEZ, District Judge.

Plaintiff United States of America, through its undersigned counsel, and defendants Gerardo Ramirez, Eugene Margarito Ortega, and Jonathan Lopez Castaneda, through their counsel of record, stipulate that the status conference now set for January 8, 2019, be continued to March 12, 2019, at 9:15 a.m.

On April 25, 2018, all three defendants were arraigned on the two-count Indictment in this case. (ECF Nos. 16, 18.) In the weeks following, the government produced to the defense discovery that includes 125 pages of reports and memoranda, over 200 photos, and a litany of audio and video recordings from this investigation. Defense counsel for all three defendants require additional time to review these materials, to discuss them with their clients, to conduct research into any potential suppression issues or motions to dismiss, to conduct additional investigation, and to otherwise prepare for trial.

Based on the foregoing, the parties stipulate that the status conference set for January 8, 2019, be continued to March 12, 2019, at 9:15 a.m. The parties further agree that time under the Speedy Trial Act should be excluded from the date the parties stipulated, up to and including March 12, 2019, under 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A) and (B)(iv) [reasonable time to prepare], and General Order 479, [Local Code T4], based on continuity of counsel and defense preparation.

The parties agree that the failure to grant a continuance in this case would deny defense counsel reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence. The parties also agree that the ends of justice served by the Court granting the requested continuance outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendants in a speedy trial.

ORDER

The Court, having received and considered the parties' stipulation, and good cause appearing therefore, adopts the parties' stipulation in its entirety as its order. The Court specifically finds that the failure to grant a continuance in this case would deny counsel reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence. The Court also finds that the ends of justice served by granting the requested continuance outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendants in a speedy trial.

The Court orders that the time from the date the parties stipulated, up to and including March 12, 2019, shall be excluded from computation of time within which the trial in this case must be commenced under the Speedy Trial Act, see 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A) and (B)(iv) [reasonable time to prepare], and General Order 479 [Local Code T4]. It is further ordered that the January 8, 2019 status conference be continued to March 12, 2019, at 9:15 a.m.