United States v. Tiffany Bowlin — S.D. W. Va., Charleston, No. 2:22-cr-00205

Case summary

Tiffany Bowlin was charged by a single-count information filed on November 9, 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia at Charleston, No. 2:22-cr-00205. The case began with a sealed memorandum opinion and order of April 27, 2022 in a related miscellaneous matter, No. 2:22-mj-00054, directing that counsel be designated for a targeted individual who had not then been charged. On February 1, 2023, before Senior Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., Bowlin waived her right to proceed by indictment, signed a written guilty plea to the single-count information and explained the factual basis in her own words; the court accepted the plea and plea agreement and adjudged her guilty. Sentencing was set for May 4, 2023.

Case at a glance

What happened at the plea hearing?

The district judge's daybook entry for February 1, 2023 records that the hearing was for the defendant to enter a plea to the single-count information under a written plea agreement; that she was sworn, gave personal information, and had the information read to her and explained by counsel; that the court explained the essential elements and her right to proceed by indictment, which she waived; that she confirmed her agreement, signature and initials on the plea agreement and stipulation of facts; that the special assessment had been paid; and that she signed a written guilty plea, explained the factual basis in her own words, and was adjudged guilty. The hearing lasted one hour and eight minutes.

What was the sealed order at the start of the case?

A sealed memorandum opinion and order of April 27, 2022 in No. 2:22-mj-00054 ordering the CJA Supervising Attorney to designate counsel for a targeted individual and to provide that counsel with the target letter and the order. The court gave as a compelling reason for sealing that the targeted individual had not been charged with a crime, and that disclosing the identity at that point would be akin to disclosing matters occurring before the grand jury.

What happened over the presentence report?

An order of April 24, 2023 records that paragraph 62 of the presentence investigation report stated the defendant had failed to return financial investigation documents requested by the probation officer, and that under "Assets" the report stated she did not report or submit the requested documentation, so that information was unknown. The court directed the probation officer to obtain the information from her.

Summary written from the documents on this page; every sentence is sourced.