Page:United States v. Delgado (19-20697) (2021) Opinion.pdf/7

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given to him by the FBI. Two days after the meeting, on December 15, 2016, Delgado signed an order releasing Raul Sanchez on a PR bond of $5,000.

In August 2017, the FBI used Perez to set up another attempt at a sting on Delgado. This time, the FBI wished to mimic the circumstances of the 2008 pickup truck incident. Delgado had recently issued a warrant for the arrest of Santos Maldonado, “who had ran a bond on his case.” The FBI told Perez that Maldonado would be his client, and that Perez should approach Delgado about securing Maldonado’s release on a PR bond. But instead of bribing Delgado with money, Perez was to explain that Maldonado had promised him a 2010 BMW as payment.

Perez, again wearing a wire, met Delgado at Delgado’s house and explained that Maldonado was arrested while transporting 300 kilograms of cocaine. He then describes that the “feds did not take it,” referring to Maldonado’s case. Immediately, Delgado starts saying: “Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding … .” After confirming that the case is being prosecuted by the state, rather than the federal government, Delgado implies that the federal government is trying to set up someone. Delgado then explains to Perez why he thinks the federal government would decline to prosecute a case like Maldonado’s: “’Cause they want that skunk to go up the state system which is, in their view, fucking corrupt. From the J-Ps to the lawyers, to the D-A, to the judges at the courthouse.” Delgado further states to Perez: “[Y]ou’re talking about slam dunk fucking cases that they’re rejecting and that’s ’cause they want to see what I’m doing and what Rick Rod’s doing and what we’re doing, yeah.”

When Perez tells Delgado that he will text him to remind him about Maldonado’s case, Delgado says: “[N]o, no, no we don’t want to do that.” Delgado tells Perez to call Delgado’s assistant and to ask her to have Delgado review Maldonado’s case, because “that’s just regular lawyer-like business,”

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