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The Extradition Process

The United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas, or another federal district, will secure an indictment from a Grand Jury on an individual or individuals in a foreign country. These indictments are often based upon extensive telephone intercepts that are financed by the U.S. Government but carried out in Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, or Mexico as well as other countries. The DEA uses Sensitive Investigation Units, which are local police that are trained and paid by the DEA, to do the DEA’s job since they have no enforcement ability outside the United States. The only countries that the United States Government does not have a large presence is Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia.
Once this indictment is secured, the U.S. Attorney will submit an affidavit, along with the DEA agent setting out the basis for the extradition. Based upon this, they will present to either a District Judge or United States Magistrate Judge for an extradition warrant. With the extradition warrant, it will be officially presented to the Government of the foreign citizen for his/her arrest.

Once arrested, the foreign citizen can expect to go through an extensive process of judicial proceeding for extradition, in their own country, that generally lasts more than a year. There are defenses to extradition but it can be determined after the extradition packet is received within 60 days of arrest. Once final extradition approval is secured, there will be an extradition to the United States where proceedings will begin on the allegations.

Two things to know about extradition. First, it is important to have a good attorney in your own country to make sure the extradition process is handled correctly. Second, there are many attorneys that may make promises to make sure extradition does not happen or that the case will be dismissed. Those promises are lies and they are trying to steal your money. There have been several attorneys who themselves are facing criminal charges for such conduct in the United States. Mr. Bailey has been called to testify against one such attorney and how the scam works.

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https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2019/10/17/colombian-drug-lord-tells-north-texas-jury-that-dwi-dude-promised-him-freedom/

Be aware of the process and the need to hire both a good attorney in your home country as well as an American attorney who can ensure your rights are protected and the best results are secured. Don Bailey can give you honest information about your case.

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