United States v. Patrick Ductant — Plea Agreement, Southern District of Florida (Document 82)
Summary
A plea agreement between the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and Patrick Ductant in Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS, entered on the docket January 30, 2024. Ductant agrees to plead guilty to Count 1, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud under Section 1349, and Count 19, aggravated identity theft, with the remaining counts to be dismissed after sentencing. Count 19 carries a mandatory consecutive two (2) years' imprisonment. The parties jointly recommend a base offense level of 7, a 16-level increase for a loss of more than $1,500,000 and less than $3,500,000, and increases for 10 or more victims and for access devices. Ductant agrees to a forfeiture money judgment of $1,108,129.42 and to restitution of $3,097,825, and the agreement contains cooperation terms and an appeal waiver.
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“United States v. Patrick Ductant — Plea Agreement, Southern District of Florida (Document 82).”
Original at ecf.flsd.uscourts.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/plea-agreement-usa-v-ductant-et-al-dkt-82-s-d-fla-abdd99d9c3/
, SHA-256 f107e61e74357eb451a7f0d803ba5b7ac4510d22c03c7c1fd5fa316dc962ec2c.Full text
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 1 of 9
IJNITED STATEMDISTW CT COURT
SOUTIIEM DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
FORT LAUDERDALE DIW SJO N
'
.
CASE NO .23-60019-CR-SINGi1AL
UM TED STATES OF AM ERICA
VS.
PATW CK DUCTANT,
D efendant.
. /
PLEA AGREEM EN T
'rheunitedstatesAtlorney'softuefortheSouthernDisklct6fFlorida(collectively,ltthis'
..
'
Office''landPatrickbuctant('
hezeinaAezrefezzedtoastheGrefendanf'l'enterintothefollowing
agreem ent:
The.Defendantagreestopl:adguiltytoCotmts1and 19ofttle1ndictment,which
colmtschargestheDefendantwith çonspiracy to comm itbnnk âaud'and wire fraud,in violation
.
.
' ' .
ofTitle18,UnitedStatesCode,Section1349tcotuit1),andaggravatedidentititheft?inviolation
ofTitle1,
8,UnitedStatesCode,Section 1.
028A(a)(1)tcount19).
ThisOffice agreesto seek dismissaloftherem aining counts ofthe Indictment,as .
tothisD efendantonly,ahersentèncing.
The befendant is aware thatthe sentence willbe imposed by '
the Cétu'tafter
considering the advisoly Federql Seùtencing Guidelines and Poliqy Statements (hrreinafter
GGsentencing Gtlidelinesd). TheDefendmltacknowledgesandunderstandsthatthe Cotu'twiil
computean advisory sentençeundertheSentenchg Guidelinesarld thatthe applicableguidelilles '
,
willbe detenuined by the Court,relying in pazt.on the resultsofapre-sentence hvestigation by
' .
,
the Court'sprobation office,which investigation willcomm ence afterthe gtlilty pleahas been
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 2 of 9
entered. The Defendantis also aware that,tmdercertain circllmstances,the Com'tmay depart
from the advisoly sentencing guidelinerange thatithas computed,and may raise orloFerthat
advisory sentence lm der the Sentencing Guidelines. The Defendant is further aware and
lmderstandsthatthe Coul'tisrequired to considerthe advisory guidelinerange determined tmder
the Sentencing Guidelines,butisnotbolmd to imposea sentencewitllin thatadvisory range;the
Courtispermitted to tailorthe ultim ate sentence in lightofother statutory concerns,and such
sentencem aybeeitherm oresevel'
e orlessseverethan theSéntencing Guidelines'advisoryrahge.
Knowingthesefacts,theDefendanttmderstmldsand acknowledgesthattheCourthastheauthority
toimposeany sentencewithin and uptothestatutorym nximllm authorizedby1aw fortheoffenses
identifed in paragraph 1 and thattheDefendantm ay notwithdraw the pleg solely asa resultof
thesentenceimposed.
TheDetendantalsounderstandsand acknowledgesthat,astoCount1,theCourt
may imposeastatutorymaximllm term ofimprisommentofupto ' (30)years,followedbya
term ofsupervisedreleaseofup to.five(5)years. In addition to aterm ofimprisonmentand
supervised release,the Courtmay impose afme ofup to $1,000,000 ortwic:thegrosspecuniary
gain orloss,wllicheverisgreater,and m ay orderforfeiture and restitution. Asto Count 19,the
Courtmustimposeasentenceoftwo(2)years'imprisonment,wllich shallrtm consecutivetoany
term ofim prisonm yntimposed forCount1,and may also impose aterm ofsupervised releaseup
toone(1)yearandafineofupto$250,000.
5. The Defendant further understands and aclcnowledgesthat,in addition to any
sentenceimposed tmderparagraph 4oftllisagreem ent,aspecialassessm entintheam otmtof$'
200
willbe imposed on the Defendant. TheDefendantagreesthatany specialassessm entim posed
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 3 of 9
shallbepaid atthe time ofsentencing. IftheDefendantisfm ancially unable to pay the special
assessm ent,theDefendantagreesto presentevidenceto this OfEce and the Coul'tatthe time of
sentencing astothereasonsefortheDefendant'sfailuretopay.
6. This Office réservesthe rightto irttbrm the'Courtand the probation oftk e ofa1l
factspertinenttothesentencingprocess,includingallrelevantintormationccmcerningtheoffenses
committed,whethercharged or not,as well as concerning the Defendantand the Defendant's
background. Subjectonlytotheexpresstermsofanyagreed-uponsentencingrecommendations
contained in this am eem ent,this Office furtherreselwesthe rightto m ake any recom m endation as
to the quality and quanéty ofp lnishm ent.
'
TheDefendantagreesthatheshallcooperatefutlywiththisOfficeby:(a)providing
tnlthfuland com plete inform ation and testimony,and producing documents,recordsand other
evidence,when calledupon bythisOffice,Whetherininterviews,beforeagrandjm'y,oratany
trialorotherCout'tproceeding'
,(b)appeazing atsuch grandjùryproceedings,hearings,tdals,and
/
otherjudicialproceedings,andatmeetings,asmayberequizedbythisOffice;and(c)ifrequested
by thisOfzce,workingin an lmdercoverroleunderthesupçrvision of,and in compliancewith,
law enforcem entofficersand agents. In addition,theDefendantagreesthathewillnotprotect
any person orentity through falseinformation orom ission,thathe willnotfalsely implicate any
person orentity,andthathethathewillnotcom mitany farthercrim es.
8. TllisOfficereselwestherightto evaluate thenatuzeand extentoftheD efendant's
cooperatioll and to m ake that cooperation,or lack thereofplcnown to the Courtatthe tim e of
sentencing. IfinthesoleandllnreviewablejudgmentofthisOfficetheDefendanfscooperation
is6fsuch quality and significancetotheinvestigation orprosecution ofothercrim inalmattersas
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 4 of 9
tow arrantthe CoM 'sdownward departtu'
e9om the advisory sentencing range calculated tm der
, )
the Sentencing Guidelines and/orany applicablem iniml'm mandatory sentence,thisOffcem ay
m akeamotion pliorto sentencingplzrsuantto Section 5K 1.1ofthe Sentencing Guidelinesand/or
Title18,UnitedStatesCode,Seçtion 3553($,orsubsequenttosentencingp'
tzrsuanttoRule35of
the FederalRules of CrinninalProcedure,inform ing the Courtthat.the Defendanthasprovided
substantial assistance arld recom mepding that the Defendant's sentence be reduced. The
Defendatltimdèrstandsandagïees,however,thatnothing ih this'agzeementrequirestllisOfficeto
file any such m otions,and thattllis Office's assessm entofthe quality and significance ofthe
' '
yj
Defendant'scooperation shallbebinding asitrelatestotheappropliatenessofthisOfice'sfiling
ornon-filing ofanîotion toreducesentence.
9. TheDefendantunderstandsand aoknowledgesthattheCoul'tisImderno obligation
.
tog'
rantamotionforreduction ofsentencefiledby thisOffice. Inaddition,theDefendgntfurther
tmderstandàand acknow1edg'esthatthe Courtistmderno obligation ofatly typetoreducethe
Defendailt'ssentencebecauseoftheDefendant'scooperation.
10. This Office agreesthatitwillrecornm end atsentencing thatthe Courtreduceby
two (2)lçvelsthesentencing guidelinelevelapplioabletotheDefendr t'soffense,ptlrjuantto
Section 3E1.1(a) ofthe Sentencing Guidelines,based upon the Defendant's recognition and
affirmative and tim ely acceptance ofpersonalresponsibility. lf atthe tim e ofsentencing the
Defendant'soffenselevelisdeterminedtobe16 orgreater,thisOfficeFillfileam otion requesting
'
an additionalone(1)leveldecreasepursuantto Section 3E1.1(b)oftheSentencing Guidelines,
n the investigation or prosecution of the ,
stating that the D efendant has assisted authorities 5.
Defendant'sown misconductby timely notifying authoritiesoftheDefendant'sintention to enter
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 5 of 9
apleaofguilty,thereby permitting the governmentto avoidpreparing fèrtrialand perm itting the
governmentand the Courtto allocatetheirresources effciently. '
IhisOffice,however,willnot
berequiredtomakethismotion iftheDefendant:(1)failsorrefusestomakea111,accurate,and
com pletd'disclostlreto theprobation office ofthe circtunstancessurrotmding therelevantoffense
conduct;(2)isfotmdtohavemisrepresentedfactstothegovernmentpriortoentelingintothisplea
agreement;or(3)commitsany misconductafterentenngintothispleaagreemqnt,including,but
notlim itedto,comm itting astateorfederaloffense,violating any term ofrelease,ormakingfalse
statem ents orm isrepresentationsto any governm entalen'
tity oroflicial.
11. This Office and the Defendantam ee that,although notbinding on the probation
offceortheCourt,theywilljointly recommendthattheCourtmakethefollowingfindingsand
conclusionsasto thesentencetobeimposed:
(a) Thatthebaseoffenselevelis7,p'
ursuanttoSection2B1.1(a)(1);
@) Thattherelevanjnmotmtofacttzal,probable,orintended lossunderSection
2B1.1(b)(1) of the Sentencing Guidelines resulting from the offense
comnnitted in this case is m ore thm1 $1,500,000 and less th:.
11 $3,500,000,
resultingiltarlincreaseof16levelspmsuanttoSection2B1.1('
b)(1)(I);
(c) Thatthç offense involved 10 ormorevictims,resulting in atlincrease of2
levelspursuanttoSection2B1.1($(2)(A)(i);and
(d) Théttheoffenseinvolved theproduction ortrafficking ofany unauthorized
accessdevice or cotmtel-feitaccess device,resulting in an increase of2 levels
ptlrsuantto2B1.1(b)(2)(11)(B);
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 6 of 9
12. ThisOfficealldDefendantexpressly reservetheirrespectiVerightsatsentencingto
presentevidence and argllm entin supportofor againstthe application ofany aggravating role
enhancementtmderSection 3B1.1ofthe Sentencing Guidelines.
TheDefendantisawarethatthesentencehasnotyetbeen determinedbytùeCourt.
The Defendantalso isawàre thatany estimate oftheprobable sentencing range orsentence that
the Defendantm ay receive,whether thatestimate com es âom the Defendmzt's attorney,tlais
Office,ortheprobationoffice,isaprediction,not'apromise,andisnotbindingonthipOffce,the
probation oo ce,or the Coul't. The D efendantunderstands and acknowledges, as previously
acknowledged inparagraph 3 above,thattheDefendantm ay notwithdzaw llispleabased.upon the '
Court'sdecision notto accepta sentencing recom mendation made by thèDefendant,tllisOffice,
orarecommendadonmadejointlybytheDefendantandtllisOffice.
14. The defendantknowingly andvoluntarily agreestotheentry ofaforfeiturem oney
judgmentagainsthim plzrsuantto Title 18,United States Code,Section 982(a)(2)(A),and the
procedlzres setfolth atTitle 21,United SttesCode,Section 853,and Rule 32.2 of
*
the Federal
.
RtllesofCrirninalProcedmeinthermountof$1,108,129.42 (hereinaAer,thetTorfeitureM oney
Judgmenf'),which heagreesisasmn ofmoneyequalù&valuetothepropertywhich constitutes,
orwasderivedgom ,proceedsheobtaineddirectly orindirectly astheresultoftheoffensecharged
in Count1oftheIndictnwnt,to which heagreesto plead gttilty herein
The Defendantknowingly and voluntarily agreesto waivehisrightto a hearing,
plzrsuantto Rule 32.2(b)(1)(A)'ofthe FederalRules of CriminalProcedm'
. . ,
e,to determinethe '
.
amotmtoftheForfeitureM oney Judgmentandknowingly andvollmtarily aw eesthatheshallnot,
in any m nnner,act in opposition to the United States ill seeking entry ofthe Forfeiture M oney
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 7 of 9
againsthim aspartofhissentence in thiscase.
16. TheD efendantknowingly andvoltmtarily agreesto waivethefollowingrightswith
respecttotheforfeittzreoftheForfeitdreM oney Judgm ent:
(a) Al1constitm ional,legal,andequitabledefensestosuchforfeiture;
(b) Anyconstimtionalorstatutol'ydoublejeopardy defenseorclaim regrding
such forfeiture;
(c) Any claim'ordefenseto such forfeiturebroughtorraisedundertheEighth
Am endmenttotheUnited StatesConstitution,including,butnotlimitedto,any claim ordefense
ofexcessivefme;and
(d) Any l'ighthe may have to alzappealofany resulting order offorfeiture
regarding theForfeiture M oney Judgm ent.
TheDefendantknow ingly and voltuitadly agreesandunderstandsthatentry ofthe
ForfeitureM oney Judgm ent,and/orsubsequentcollection ofpaymentinpartialorfullsatisfaction
oftheForfeitureMoney Judgment,agreeduponherein shallnotbetreated assatisfaction (either
partialorfulllofanyassessment,Ene,restittztion,costofimprisonment,oranyotherpenaltythat
theCom'tm ay imposeupon thedefendantin additionto theforfeituze.'
I'heDefendantalso agrees
toassistthisOfficeinallproceedings,adrainiskativeorjudioial,involvingforfeitaretotheUnited
States of the Forfeiture M oney Judgm ent and/or any property,including substim te property,
regardless ofits nature orform ,realorpersonal,which the Defendantorothersknown to the
defendant, have accum ulated because of illegal activities. The assistance shall include
identificationofanypropertysubjecttoforfeiture,agreementtotheentryofanorderenjoiningthe
transferorencllm branceofsuch property,andthetransferofsuch property totlleUnited Statesby
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 8 of 9
delivery to tbisOfficeupon tllisOffice'srequest,any necessary and appropriate docum entation,
including consentsto forfeitureand quitclaim deeds,to delivergood and marketabletitleto such
property.
14. The Defendantstipulates and agrees thathe owes restitm ion in the am ount of
$3,097,825.
TheDefendantisaware thatTitle 28,Urlited StatesCode,Section 1291 and Titie
18,UnitedStatesCode,Section 3742affordtheDefendanttherighttoappeal'thesentenceimposed
in thiscase. Acknowledgingthis,irtexchangeforthetmdertnkingsm adeby theUnited Statesin
thispleaagreement,theDefendanthereby w aivesal1rightsconferred by Sections 1291and 3742
to appeal.
any jentence imposed,includingmly restit-ution order,orto appealthem nnnerin which
thesentencewasim posed,lmlessthesentenceexceedsthemaximllm permittedby statuteoristhe
restlltofarlupward departure and/oran upward variancefzom theadvisory guideline range that
the Courtestablishes at sentencing. The Defendantfurther understands that nothing in this
agreem entshallaffectthegovernm ent'srightand/ordutyto appealassetforth in Title 18,United
StatesCode,Section 37421)and Title2j,United StatesCode,Section 1291. However,ifthe
United States appeals the Defendant's sentence pmsuantto Sections 374209 and 1291,the
Defendant shallbe released from the above waiver ofhis z'
ightto appealllis sent:nce. The
Defendantfurtherhereby waivesallrightsconferredbyTitle28,United StatesCode,Section 1291
toassert>nyclaim that(1)thestatutetowhichtheDefendantispleadingguiltyistmconstitm ional;
and/or(2)theadmitted conductdoesnotfallwithin thescopeofthestatate ofconviction. By
signingthisagreement,theDefendantacknowledgesthattheDefendanthasdiscussedthe appeal
w aiver setforth in this agrèem entw ith the Defendant's attorney. The D efendantfurther agrees,
8
Case 0:23-cr-60119-AHS Document 82 Entered on FLSD Docket 01/30/2024 Page 9 of 9
togetherwith thisOffice,to requestthatthe Cotu'tentera specific finding thatthe Defendant's
waiverofltisrighttoappealthesentenceimposedin thiscaseandhisrightto appealllisconviction
in them annerdescribed abovewaslcnowing and voluntal'y.
16. Tltis is the entire agreem ent and tmderstanding between this Office.and the
D efendant. There areno otheragreem ents,pronlises,representations,orlm derstandings.
M ARKEN ZY LA PODHTE
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