SDNY's Got Your 'Massage' Right Here, Jeffrey Epstein!

About damn time.

This morning in a New York courtroom, Jeffrey Epstein was finally charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of girls as young as 14 in Florida and New York between 2002 and 2005. The Daily Beast was first to report that the 66-year-old financier was arrested Saturday when his plane landed at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, and he's currently being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan.

Thanks to journalist Julie Brown of the  Miami Herald  , we all know what Epstein is accused of and how current Labor Secretary and then-US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Alex Acosta let him plead down to a slap on the wrist in violation of the rights of his own victims. Here's a nice quote from a letter sent by Epstein's attorney Jay Lefkowitz to Acosta after they had a productive breakfast meeting to discuss the case.

I also want to thank you for the commitment you made to me during our October 12 meeting in which you . . . assured me that your Office would not . . . contact any of the identified individuals, potential witnesses, or potential civil claimants and their respective counsel in this matter.

Why the fuck is Acosta still in the cabinet?

 
 Giphy 

OH, RIGHT.

The government opposes bail for Epstein, noting that the defendant is a man with virtually unlimited financial resources and multiple private planes at his disposal, facing multiple credible allegations of crimes that would bring a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in jail. The government also alleges that the raid on his $77-million mansion in Manhattan this weekend turned up "a vast trove of lewd photographs of young-looking women or girls."

In a search of the New York Residence on the night of his arrest, on July 6-7, 2019, pursuant to judicially-authorized warrants, law enforcement officers discovered not only specific evidence consistent with victim recollections of the inside of the mansion, further strengthening the evidence of the conduct charged in the Indictment, but also at least hundreds—and perhaps thousands—of sexually suggestive photographs of fully- or partially nude females. While these items were only seized this weekend and are still being reviewed, some of the nude or partially-nude photographs appear to be of underage girls, including at least one girl who, according to her counsel, was underage at the time the relevant photographs were taken. Additionally, some of the photographs referenced herein were discovered in a locked safe, in which law enforcement officers also found compact discs with hand-written labels including the following: "Young [Name] + [Name]," "Misc nudes 1," and "Girl pics nude." The defendant, a registered sex offender, is not reformed, he is not chastened, he is not repentant; rather, he is a continuing danger to the community and an individual who faces devastating evidence supporting deeply serious charges.

The fact that the government has moved to seize the mansion will do nothing to compensate Epstein's dozens of alleged victims, who are being encouraged to call in to the FBI tipline.

There's no statute of limitations for sex crimes against a minor, but Epstein's lawyers will doubtless try to invoke his Florida plea agreement as a barrier to prosecution. Unfortunately for him, he committed his crimes in multiple jurisdictions and across state lines, abusing girls in New York and also having his procurers, who appear to be testifying against him, make calls from New York to Florida to arrange sexual encounters with minor girls for his upcoming trips.

This is all very upsetting, but never fear, as the wingnuts have figured out who to blame. No, obviously not Alex Acosta! Clearly it's Robert Mueller, you idiots!

Did you know: The FBI, under Robert Mueller, let child predator Jeffrey Epstein off with a weak plea deal Dozens… https://t.co/eurdj18RmC

— Charlie Kirk (@Charlie Kirk) 1562474573.0 

Wait, you are saying! The FBI investigates crimes, but does not prosecute people! Never fear, Mike Cernovich has worked that one out.

Has anyone asked @PreetBharara why he didn’t bring this case? Preet was at SDNY during time period covered in Epste… https: //t.co/rJA93ksMIa

— Mike Cernovich (@Mike Cernovich) 1562539718.0 

Or maybe NOT.

Wrong @Cernovich. Alex Acosta gave away his absurd, unjust, embarrassment of free ride to Epstein in 2007.… https: //t.co/kVj2EaHD5E

— Elie Honig (@Elie Honig) 1562540417.0 

Don't worry, here's Jim Hoft, Stupidest Man on the Internet, to bat cleanup.

No, we didn't click that goddamn article. That shit rots your brain! Don't be like Jim Hoft, kids.

It is very tempting to start wondering if Epstein has "the goods" on powerful men like Prince Andrew, Donald Trump, and Bill Clinton. Who exactly is on those discs of "Young [Name] + [Name]" found in that locked safe? Is that why Alan Dershowitz seems to have lost his damn mind? And why is SDNY's Public Corruption unit on this case?

These are all good questions, and the answer is, I don't know, you don't know, and no one speculating about it on Twitter knows either. But it's not likely that the DOJ is going to bargain down a serial sexual predator to get testimony against anyone, least of all Donald Trump.

Back at the federal courthouse for a bail hearing, Epstein's lawyer Reid Weingarten was in fine fettle, downplaying the seriousness of the Florida charges. (Looks like this was probably "prostitution," not "prosecution".)

Rossmiller on Weingarten calling the conduct "ancient": The prosecutor notes that it is not beyond the statute of l… https://t.co/CSfaN6WtOe

— Adam Klasfeld (@Adam Klasfeld) 1562608191.0 

And the bail hearing was adjourned until Thursday. Prosecutors and Epstein's attorneys have already moved to Judge Richard Berman's courtroom for a status conference. But that is entirely enough filth for one afternoon.

We'll keep you posted!

[ Indictment / Bail Memo / DB ]

Follow your FDF on Twitter!

You liking these lawsplainers? Please click here to keep 'em funded!