DISTRICT COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 
DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
Plaintiff, 
v. 
ROBERT DEFREITAS, 
Defendant. 
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Criminal No. 2019-10 
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ATTORNEYS: 
 
Gretchen Shappert, United States Attorney 
Nathan Brooks, AUSA 
United States Attorney’s Office 
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. 
 
For the United States of America, 
 
Robert L. King 
Law Offices of Robert King 
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. 
 
For Robert Defreitas. 
 
 
ORDER 
 
GÓMEZ, J. 
 
Before the Court is the application of Robert Defreitas 
(“Defreitas”) to waive his speedy trial. For the reasons stated 
herein, the time to try this case is extended up to and 
including May 20, 2019.   
 
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 
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United States v. Defreitas 
Criminal No. 2019-10 
Order 
Page 2 
 
to allow Defreitas’s attorney to recuperate from surgery. 
Second, Defreitas made his request with the advice and consent 
of counsel. Third, without an extension, Defreitas would be 
denied reasonable time necessary to 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); see 
also United 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.’"); 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   
 
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United States v. Defreitas 
Criminal No. 2019-10 
Order 
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ORDERED that the time beginning from the date of this order 
granting an extension through May 20, 2019, shall be excluded in 
computing the time within which the trial for Robert Defreitas 
must be initiated pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3161. 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
S\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
Curtis V. Gómez 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
District Judge 
 
 
 
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