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857 KB
Extraction Summary
4
People
6
Organizations
0
Locations
5
Events
3
Relationships
4
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Legal document
File Size:
857 KB
Summary
This legal document details the actions of prosecutor Villafaña between February and April 2008 regarding the case against Epstein. Villafaña actively revised the prosecution strategy, sought pro bono legal counsel to protect victims from harassment by Epstein's defense team, and urged her supervisors for a swift resolution, highlighting the severe emotional toll on the victims. The document also includes Villafaña's justification to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) for her statements to victims about the ongoing nature of the investigation.
People (4)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Epstein |
Subject of a guilty plea, investigation, and prosecution. His defense team was allegedly harassing victims.
|
|
| Villafaña |
A key figure in the prosecution of Epstein, who spoke to OPR, revised prosecution memorandums, sought help for victim...
|
|
| Courtney Wild | Victim |
A victim who was helped by an attorney from a victims service organization to avoid an improper deposition.
|
| Sloman | Supervisor |
One of Villafaña's supervisors to whom she reported information about victims.
|
Organizations (6)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| OPR | government agency |
Office of Professional Responsibility, to whom Villafaña gave a statement.
|
| PBPD | government agency |
Palm Beach Police Department, mentioned in the context of an investigation from which Villafaña removed some victims.
|
| USAO | government agency |
U.S. Attorney's Office, whose decision to prosecute Epstein was appealed by the defense.
|
| Department | government agency |
Likely referring to the Department of Justice, to which the defense appealed the USAO's decision.
|
| FBI | government agency |
An FBI Victim Specialist contacted victims to provide information for attorneys.
|
| national crime victims service organization | non-profit organization |
An organization located by Villafaña to provide attorneys for victims.
|
Timeline (5 events)
2008-02
Villafaña sought help for victims being harassed by Epstein's defense investigators and arranged for pro bono attorneys through a national crime victims service organization.
Relationships (3)
The document states Villafaña informed her supervisors, 'including Sloman,' about the case developments.
Villafaña was actively preparing a federal prosecution against Epstein.
Villafaña's efforts to find legal help for victims led to an attorney helping Courtney Wild avoid an improper deposition.
Key Quotes (4)
"From my perspective we were conducting an investigation and it was an investigation that was going to lead to an indictment. You know, I was interviewing witnesses, I was issuing [legal process], . . . I was doing all [these] things to take the case to a federal indictment and a federal trial. So to me, saying to a victim the case is now back under investigation is perfectly accurate."Source
— Villafaña
(In a statement to OPR, justifying her communications with victims.)
DOJ-OGR-00021427.jpg
Quote #1
"one of the victims tried to commit suicide last week,"Source
— Villafaña
(In a report to her supervisors, including Sloman, highlighting the distress of the victims.)
DOJ-OGR-00021427.jpg
Quote #2
"I just can’t stress enough how important it is for these girls to have a resolution in this case. The ‘please be patient’ answer is really wearing thin, especially when Epstein’s group is still on the attack while we are forced to wait on the sidelines."Source
— Villafaña
(In a report to her supervisors, advocating aggressively for a resolution to the case against Epstein.)
DOJ-OGR-00021427.jpg
Quote #3
"job as a Victim Specialist is to ensure that victims[] of a Federal crime are afforded their rights, information and resource referral."Source
— FBI Victim Specialist
(Explaining her role to Villafaña after contacting victims about pro bono counsel.)
DOJ-OGR-00021427.jpg
Quote #4
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (3,084 characters)
Case 22-1426, Document 77, 06/29/2023, 3536038, Page255 of 258
SA-253
Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 204-3 Filed 04/16/21 Page 253 of 348
SA-253
Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 204-3 Filed 04/16/21 Page 253 of 348
prosecutors and did not recall learning any information about Epstein’s guilty plea until after the plea was entered on June 30, 2008.
When asked whether she was concerned that her statements would mislead the victims, Villafaña told OPR:
From my perspective we were conducting an investigation and it was an investigation that was going to lead to an indictment. You know, I was interviewing witnesses, I was issuing [legal process], . . . I was doing all [these] things to take the case to a federal indictment and a federal trial. So to me, saying to a victim the case is now back under investigation is perfectly accurate.
4. February – March 2008: Villafaña Takes Additional Steps to Prepare for a Prosecution of Epstein, Arranges for Pro Bono Attorneys for Victims, and Cautions about Continued Delay
In February 2008, Villafaña revised the prosecution memorandum and supplemental memorandum. Villafaña removed some victims known to Epstein from the PBPD investigation and others subject to impeachment as a result of civil suits they filed against Epstein, added newly discovered victims, and made changes to the proposed indictment.
While the defense appealed the USAO’s decision to prosecute Epstein to higher levels of the Department, Villafaña sought help for victims whom defense investigators were harassing and attempting to subpoena for depositions as part of Epstein’s defense in civil lawsuits that some victims had brought against him, as well as purportedly in connection with the state criminal case. Villafaña reported to her supervisors that she was able to locate a “national crime victims service organization” to provide attorneys for the victims, and the FBI Victim Specialist contacted some victims to provide contact information for the attorneys.341 During this period, an attorney from the victims service organization was able to help Courtney Wild avoid an improper deposition. Villafaña also informed her supervisors, including Sloman, that “one of the victims tried to commit suicide last week,” and advocated aggressively for a resolution to the case: “I just can’t stress enough how important it is for these girls to have a resolution in this case. The ‘please be patient’ answer is really wearing thin, especially when Epstein’s group is still on the attack while we are forced to wait on the sidelines.”
5. March – April 2008: Villafaña Continues to Prepare for Filing Federal Charges
Villafaña continued to revise the proposed charges by adding new victims and by removing others who had filed civil suits against Epstein. Villafaña also prepared search warrants for digital
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341 The FBI Victim Specialist informed Villafaña that she spoke “directly to seven victims” and informed them of the pro bono counsel and explained that her “job as a Victim Specialist is to ensure that victims[] of a Federal crime are afforded their rights, information and resource referral.”
341 The FBI Victim Specialist informed Villafaña that she spoke “directly to seven victims” and informed them of the pro bono counsel and explained that her “job as a Victim Specialist is to ensure that victims[] of a Federal crime are afforded their rights, information and resource referral.”
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