DISTRICT COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 
DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
Plaintiff, 
v. 
ARACELIS N. AYALA, TURRELL 
THOMAS, RAHEEM MILLER, 
Defendants. 
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Criminal No. 2016-45 
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ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
Ronald Sharpe, United States Attorney 
Anna Alexandrovna Vlasova, AUSA 
United States Attorney’s Office 
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. 
 
For the United States of America, 
 
Joseph A. DiRuzzo, III 
Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph, PL 
Miami, Fl. 
 
For Aracelis N. Ayala, 
 
Carl R. Williams 
Smith, Williams, PLLC 
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. 
 
For Turrell Thomas 
 
Yohana M. Manning 
Christiansted, U.S.V.I.. 
 
For Raheem Miller. 
 
 
 
 
 
Case: 3:16-cr-00045-CVG-RM   Document #: 98   Filed: 02/10/17   Page 1 of 4
United States v. Ayala, et. al 
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ORDER 
 
GÓMEZ, J. 
 
Before the Court are the applications of Aracelis N. Ayala 
(“Ayala”) and Turrell Thomas (“Thomas”) to waive their speedy 
trials. For the reasons stated herein, the time to try this case 
is extended up to and including March 31, 2017.   
 
While the Speedy Trial Act requires that defendants be 
tried within seventy days of indictment, the Court specifically 
finds that extending this period would be in the best interest 
of justice for several reasons. First, an extension is necessary 
to allow Ayala time to review discovery and investigate the 
charges against him. Second, Ayala and Thomas made their 
requests with the advice and consent of counsel. Third, Raheem 
Miller’s counsel is representing another defendant in a jury 
trial, which is also scheduled for February 13, 2017, in the 
Virgin Islands Superior Court. Fourth, without an extension, 
each of the parties would be denied reasonable time necessary to 
explore plea options and prepare for trial.   
 
Consistent with these concerns, the United States Court of 
Appeals for the Third Circuit has recognized that "whether or 
not a case is 'unusual' or 'complex,' an ‘ends of justice’ 
continuance may in appropriate circumstances be granted."  
United States v. Fields, 39 F.3d 439, 444 (3d Cir. 1994); United 
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United States v. Ayala, et. al 
Criminal No. 2016-45 
Order 
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States v. Dota, 33 F.3d 1179(9th Cir. 1994) ("An ends of justice 
continuance may be justified on grounds that one side needs more 
time to prepare for trial [even if the] case [i]s not 
‘complex.’"); see also United States v. Johnson, 42 Fed. App’x 
959, 964 (9th Cir. 2002) (holding that delay resulting from one 
defense attorney’s scheduling conflict was properly excluded 
from both defendants’ speedy trial counts); United States v. 
Bermea, 30 F.3d 1539, 1567 (5th Cir. 1994) (collecting cases and 
holding that “the excludable delay of one codefendant may be 
attributed to all defendants”); United States v. Lattany, 982 
F.2d 866, 883 (3d Cir. 1992) ("[T]he district court did not 
abuse its discretion when it delayed the trial to give counsel . 
. . opportunity to . . . decid[e] upon and prepar[e] an 
appropriate defense."); United States v. Brooks, 697 F.2d 517, 
522 (3d Cir. 1982) (holding there was no abuse of discretion 
where district court found that  multiple count, multiple 
defendant "case was complex and required additional time for 
adequate preparation."). 
 
The premises considered; it is hereby   
 
 
ORDERED that the time beginning from the date of this order 
granting an extension through March 31, 2017, shall be excluded 
in computing the time within which the trials for Aracelis N. 
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United States v. Ayala, et. al 
Criminal No. 2016-45 
Order 
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Ayala, Turrell Thomas, and Raheem Miller must be initiated 
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161.  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
S\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
Curtis V. Gómez 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
District Judge 
 
 
 
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