JOHN T. COPENHAVER, Jr., Judge.
Pending is the United States' renewed motion for revocation of order releasing defendant Joshua Mark Taylor on bond, filed November 26, 2014.
On March 23, 2014, Mr. Taylor was placed on state bond. The bond contains 16 terms and conditions. He was later indicted in the Circuit Court of Fayette County in September 2014. The 19-count state indictment alleges the following offenses: (1) kidnapping in violation of W. Va. Code § 61-2-14a (Count One), (2) sexual assault in the third degree in violation of W. Va. Code § 61-8B-5(a)(2) (Counts Two through Four, Six Eight through Nine, Eleven through Thirteen, Fifteen through Sixteen and Eighteen), and (3) sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in position of trust to a child in violation of W. Va. Code § 61-8D-5 (Counts Five, Seven, Ten, Fourteen, Seventeen, and Nineteen).
On November 4, 2014, the United States filed under seal a five-count indictment alleging that Mr. Taylor performed the following criminal offenses: (1) from in and about November 2013 to on or about January 14, 2014, Mr. Taylor used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2251(a) and 2251(e), (2) on or about December 14, 2013, Mr. Taylor knowingly received child pornography, by Internet and mobile phone, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(2) and 2252A(b)(1), (3) on or about December 13, 2013, Mr. Taylor coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2422(b), (4) on or about December 23, 2014, Mr. Taylor distributed and attempted to distribute child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(A)(a)(2) and 2252A(b)(1), and (5) on or about January 19, 2014, Mr. Taylor knowingly possessed child pornography, including by Internet and mobile phone, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B) and 2252A(b) (2).
On November 4, 2014, a federal arrest warrant for Mr. Taylor issued on the indictment. Following his arrest on that warrant in the Northern District of West Virginia on November 5, 2014, the United States moved for detention. On November 13, 2014 the indictment was unsealed. That same day, following evidentiary hearings held November 10 and 12, 2014, the Honorable James E. Seibert, United States Magistrate Judge, denied the United States' motion. Mr. Taylor's father was the only witness he called in support of his release.
The November 13, 2014, order noted that "[t]he weight of the evidence against Defendant was significant." (Ord. at 3). It further observed that Mr. Taylor (1) was being treated for depression and anxiety, (2) was living with his father, and (3) denied any history of substance abuse. The November 13, 2014, order also found that Mr. Taylor was on the state bond from March 25, 2014 until his November 5, 2014, federal arrest.
Respecting the nature and seriousness of the danger to any person in the community, the November 13, 2014, suggested the only possible danger would result from Mr. Taylor's access to the four-year old daughter of his fiancée Kristi Chapman. It was further concluded, however, that such harm was unlikely inasmuch as a paternal custody arrangement was in effect. After arriving at these findings of fact, the magistrate judge penned the following conclusions of law:
(Ord. at 4). Mr. Taylor's release was delayed until November 24, 2014, when he was to appear for his arraignment here. His release was subject to the standard conditions attached in the Northern District of West Virginia, along with home confinement and electronic monitoring.
On November 13, 2014, the United States moved in the Northern District of West Virginia to stay the November 13, 2014, order and, the next day, filed its objections thereto. Also, on November 13, 2014, the United States moved here for an emergency stay, which the court denied on November 14, 2014. That same day, the United States moved separately for reconsideration of the emergency stay denial and for revocation of the November 13, 2014, order pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3145(a).
On November 19, 2014, the court denied the motion for reconsideration of the emergency stay denial. Noting that Mr. Taylor was scheduled for arraignment before the Honorable Dwane L. Tinsley, United States Magistrate Judge, in this district on November 24, 2014, the court referred the motion for revocation to him pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B). The magistrate judge was specifically authorized as follows:
(Ord. at 2). On November 25, 2014, the magistrate judge noted the referral order but concluded that his court was "not the proper forum to seek relief under 18 U.S.C. § 3145(a)." (Ord. at 2).
That declination prompted the United States, on November 26, 2014, to renew its motion for revocation. On December 8, 2014, the court heard the matter. During the hearing, the United States offered and played recorded excerpts of telephone calls placed by Mr. Taylor from the jail following his arrest. All but one of those calls, namely, the one placed November 11, 2014, were not before Magistrate Judge Seibert at the time he released Mr. Taylor. The content of the calls may be summarized as follows:
Title 18 U.S.C. § 3142 provides that if, after holding a hearing, the court finds that "no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of the person as required and the safety of any other person and the community," the court shall detain the person. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(e)(1). There is a rebuttable presumption supporting detention when the offense charged is, as here, one "involving a minor" under,
In determining whether detention pending trial is appropriate, the court must consider the following factors:
18 U.S.C. § 3142(g).
Title 18 U.S.C. § 3145(a) governs review of a release order entered pursuant to section 3142. It provides as follows:
The United States has invoked the section 3142(e)(3)(E) presumption. The court will thus consider whether Mr. Taylor has rebutted the presumption. An analysis of the section 3142(g) factors will facilitate that decision.
Regarding the first factor, the nature and circumstances of the offense charged, Mr. Taylor, who is age 31, is accused of some of the most serious sex-based crimes against a 12 year-old girl, including use of a minor in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography and coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Regarding the second factor, the weight of the evidence against the accused is, as Magistrate Judge Seibert correctly found, "significant." (Magis. J. Ord. at 3).
Regarding the third factor, which assesses Mr. Taylor's history and characteristics, the court adopts Magistrate Judge Seibert's findings of fact with two exceptions. First, the findings of fact reflect that Mr. Taylor denies any history of substance or drug abuse. Based upon the telephonic recordings first introduced into evidence at the December 8, 2014, hearing, it is evident that Mr. Taylor abuses, at a minimum, prescription medication, particularly Vicodin. Second, it is true that Mr. Taylor has been on state bond from March 25, 2014, until his November arrest on the federal warrant. It appears the November 13, 2014, order under review assumed that Mr. Taylor had complied with his state bond conditions. During the December 8, 2014, hearing, however, the United States proffered, and Mr. Taylor conceded, that state probation authorities were not supervising him during that period.
Regarding the nature and seriousness of the danger to any person or the community posed by Mr. Taylor's release, Magistrate Judge Seibert confined his consideration to Mr. Taylor's future inability to interact with Ms. Chapman's daughter inasmuch as the minor child is now in paternal custody. The danger is enhanced, however, in view of Mr. Taylor accessing his computer, using controlled substances, and violating the minor-contact provisions of his bond. These conditions were designed to restrict his ability to engage in further criminal conduct that might impair community safety. His inability to so conform his conduct thereto, his propensity to concoct false explanations for at least two of the violations, and his attempt to structure his father's testimony supporting his release, demonstrates beyond peradventure that he is not susceptible to supervision.
Having considered the factors and all of the evidence developed heretofore, the court concludes that Mr. Taylor has not rebutted the presumption. The court finds that there are no conditions or combination of conditions that will reasonably assure the appearance of Mr. Taylor as required and that the safety of the community warrants his pretrial detention.
It is, accordingly, ORDERED that the November 13, 2014, order of release be, and it hereby is, revoked. It is further ORDERED that the Marshal be, and hereby is, directed forthwith to cause a warrant to issue for Mr. Taylor's immediate apprehension, after which he will be taken into custody pending trial.
The Clerk is directed to forward copies of this written opinion and order to all counsel of record, the United States Probation Department, and the United States Marshal.
The court notes authority in this district for the referral of section 3145(a) matters to a magistrate judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A).