United States v. Kenneth Mitan ( 2013 )


Menu:
  • CLD-401                                                   NOT PRECEDENTIAL
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
    ___________
    No. 13-2522
    ___________
    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    v.
    KENNETH MITAN
    a/k/a
    JOHN HILL
    a/k/a
    POLICE OFFICER SGT. JOHN MILLER
    a/k/a
    JOHN THOMPSON
    a/k/a
    JOHN ADAMS
    Kenneth Mitan,
    Appellant
    ____________________________________
    On Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    (D.C. Criminal No. 2-08-cr-00760-001)
    District Judge: Honorable Michael M. Baylson
    ____________________________________
    Submitted for Summary Action Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 27.4 and I.O.P. 10.6
    August 22, 2013
    Before: RENDELL, JORDAN and SHWARTZ, Circuit Judges
    (Opinion filed: September 13, 2013 )
    _________
    OPINION
    _________
    PER CURIAM
    Kenneth Mitan was convicted following a jury trial in the United States District
    Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and
    using a fictitious name in the course of fraud. He was sentenced to 262 months in prison.
    We affirmed on direct appeal. United States v. Mitan, 499 F. App’x 187 (3d Cir. 2012).
    Mitan filed a pro se post-trial motion in the District Court pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P.
    45(b)(1)(A), seeking an extension of time to file a motion for a new trial under Fed. R.
    Crim. P. 33. On March 19, 2013, the District Court denied the Rule 45 motion. Mitan
    timely moved for reconsideration, which the District Court denied on May 8, 2013.
    Mitan filed a timely notice of appeal from the order denying reconsideration.
    We have jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1291
     with respect to both the District
    Court’s March 19, 2013 order denying Mitan’s motion for an extension of time and its
    May 8, 2013 order denying reconsideration. See United States v. Dieter, 
    429 U.S. 6
    , 8
    (1976). We review both orders for an abuse of discretion. See Ramseur v. Beyer, 
    921 F.2d 504
    , 506 (3d Cir. 1990) (motion to extend time); Max’s Seafood Cafe ex rel. Lou-
    Ann, Inc. v. Quinteros, 
    176 F.3d 669
    , 673 (3d Cir. 1999) (motion for reconsideration).
    We will summarily affirm the District Court’s orders because we conclude that the
    Court did not abuse its discretion by finding that Mitan did not make the requisite
    showing of “good cause” to extend the deadline for filing a motion under Rule 33. See
    2
    Fed. R. Crim. P. 45(b)(1)(A). We agree with the District Court that Mitan’s alleged
    “newly discovered evidence,” which consists of approximately 100 boxes of documents
    seized by the Government from one of Mitan’s homes in 2009, were not in fact newly
    discovered. The record reflects that Mitan knew about the seizure of the boxes before
    trial and declined, on the record, opportunities to review them or make use of them
    during trial. See United States v. Cimera, 
    459 F.3d 452
    , 461 (3d Cir. 2006) (citing
    United States v. Bujese, 
    371 F.2d 120
    , 125 (3d Cir. 1967) (explaining that evidence is not
    “newly discovered” when it was known or could have been known through the exercise
    of diligence on the part of the defendant or his counsel)). We further note that Mitan
    failed to discuss the content of the boxes on direct appeal.
    Accordingly, we will affirm the District Court’s orders.
    3