United States v. 697.59 Cash

665 F.2d 903 UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. $31,697.59 CASH and $2,850 Cash, deposited for the release of One 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix, VIN 2K57T3P250832, California License 977-HUX, Defendant, Gilbert Arthur Tavera and Edgar Jose Farias, Claimants-Appellants. No. 80-5485. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted Nov. 5, 1981. Decided Jan. 11, 1982. David L. Wasserman, Blackmon, Wasserman & Blicker, Sacramento, Cal., for claimants-appellants. Stephen V. Petix, Asst. U. S. Atty., San Diego, Cal., for plaintiff-appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Before ALARCON and NELSON, Circuit Judges, and CRAIG, * District judge. NELSON, Circuit Judge: I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL CONTEXT 1 On December 13, 1976, the claimants-appellants, Gilbert A. Tavera and Edgar J. Farias, both pleaded guilty before a United States Magistrate to a violation of 31 U.S.C. §§ 1101 and 1058. Section 1101 imposes a duty to file certain reports when knowingly bringing more than $5000 in monetary instruments into the country. Section 1058 imposes a maximum penalty of up to $1000 and/or imprisonment for up…