Unopposed Motion to Continue Trial Date & Motions Deadline — United States v. Rouse (Dkt. 70, W.D.N.C.)

Summary

Antionette Rouse's unopposed motion, filed April 3, 2026 through Assistant Federal Defender John Parke Davis, to continue the trial date and pretrial motions deadline in United States of America v. Antionette Rouse, Docket No. 3:25-CR-106-KDB, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The motion asks to move the trial, now set for May 4, 2026, to the next available term of court. It recites her May 23, 2025 arraignment on a wire fraud conspiracy count under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1349 and a wire fraud count under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, the withdrawal motion of her retained counsel (Doc. 44) and the appointment of current counsel after an August 26, 2025 hearing. It states that plea negotiations are ongoing and that this is her third request for a continuance.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Record facts

Full text

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
             FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
                          CHARLOTTE DIVISION


                                                    DOCKET NO. 3:25-CR-106-KDB
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

       vs.
                                                    UNOPPOSED MOTION TO
 ANTIONETTE ROUSE,                                  CONTINUE TRIAL DATE & MOTIONS
                                                    DEADLINE
                Defendant.



       Antionette Rouse, by and through her counsel of record, Assistant Federal Defender John

Parke Davis, respectfully requests that this Court continue the trial date presently scheduled for

May 4, 2026, along with the associated pretrial motions deadline. As grounds therefore, it is

averred:

       1.      On May 23, 2025, Ms. Rouse was arraigned on two counts in a Bill of Indictment,

charging her with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1349

(Count One); and one count of wire fraud, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Three). She had

previously retained counsel and was released on conditions of bond.

       2.      On July 31, 2025, Ms. Rouse’s retained counsel moved to withdraw from her

representation. [Doc. 44]. A hearing was held on this motion on August 26, 2025, and the

undersigned was appointed counsel the next day. See [Doc. Entries dated 8/26 & 8/27, 2025].

       3.      Plea negotiations are ongoing. Counsel needs additional time to review discovery

with Ms. Rouse, to fully investigate Ms. Rouse’s case and possible defenses, and to effectively

negotiate with the government and prepare the case for trial.

       4.      This is Ms. Rouse’s third motion for a continuance of this matter, her second motion



    Case 3:25-cr-00106-KDB-DCK            Document 70           Filed 04/03/26   Page 1 of 3

since the matter became ripe for trial, and her second motion since the undersigned became counsel

of record. The case was previously continued based on motions from other defendants. Ms. Rouse

does not anticipate further motions to continue will be necessary should this one be granted.

       5.      The time period of this continuance is excludable under 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(1),

because the Fourth Circuit has specifically found ongoing plea negotiations to be “other

proceedings” under the terms of the Speedy Trial Act. E.g. U.S. v. Keita, 742 F.3d 184, 188 (4th

Cir. 2014); U.S. v. Leftenant, 341 F.3d 338, 345 (4th Cir. 2003) (collecting similar authority from

other circuits). Thus, this period of delay is excludable as a period of delay resulting from another

proceeding concerning the defendant. 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(1); Keita, 742 F.3d at 188 (affirming

that any period of delay due to ongoing plea negotiations is excludable under the Speedy Trial

Act). It is also excludable under § 3161(h)(7)(B)(iv), as the need for additional time to allow for

effective preparation, taking into account defense counsel’s due diligence, outweighs the interests

of the public or the defendant in a speedy trial.

       6.      For the same reasons stated above, Ms. Rouse needs additional time to research

related legal and factual issues that may arise from reviewing discovery, interviewing Ms. Rouse,

and investigating the case.

       7.      The government does not oppose the granting of this motion.

       WHEREFORE, Ms. Rouse respectfully requests a continuance of her trial date from the

May 4, 2026 term to the next available term of court, and a corresponding extension of the pretrial

motion and notice deadline to line up with the Court’s next criminal term.



                       Respectfully submitted:

                       s/ John Parke Davis
                       John Parke Davis




    Case 3:25-cr-00106-KDB-DCK               Document 70      Filed 04/03/26      Page 2 of 3

                      N.C. Bar No. 34427
                      Federal Public Defender
                      Western District of North Carolina
                      129 West Trade Street, Suite 300
                      Charlotte, NC 28202
                      (704) 374-0720
                      (704) 374-0722 Fax
                      jp_davis@fd.org
                      Attorney for Antionette Rouse



DATE: April 3, 2026




    Case 3:25-cr-00106-KDB-DCK           Document 70       Filed 04/03/26   Page 3 of 3

File and source

File

gov.uscourts.ncwd.119650.70.0.pdf

Size

186,515 bytes

SHA-256

9efec0e76687a08edc9af5c1f95340910675b95232265a0483599d1e1f0e0717

Our copy

gov.uscourts.ncwd.119650.70.0.pdf

Original

archive.org