This is a May 21, 2021 letter from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York to Judge Analisa Torres regarding deferred prosecution agreements for two Metropolitan Correctional Center guards who falsified records on the night Jeffrey Epstein died.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss informs the court that the government has entered into deferred prosecution agreements with defendants Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, the two Federal Bureau of Prisons guards charged with falsifying count and round slips at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 9-10, 2019—the night Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his cell. Rather than proceeding to trial, the guards admitted to willfully and knowingly completing materially false documentation regarding required prisoner checks in the Special Housing Unit. The agreements require six months of supervision, 100 hours of community service in the criminal justice system, and cooperation with the DOJ Office of Inspector General's ongoing review of the incident.
U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney Southern District of New York The SilWoJ. Mollo Building One Saint Andrew's Plaza New York New York 10007 May 21, 2021 BY ECF The Honorable Analisa Tones United States District Judge Southern District of New York 500 Pearl Street New York, New York 10007 Re: United States v. Noel and Thomas, 19 Cr. 830 (AT) Dear Judge Tones: The Government submits this letter to inform the Court that the parties have entered into deferred prosecution agreements (the "Agreements"), which have been approved by Pretrial Services and are included for the Court's consideration.' After a thorough investigation, and based on the facts of this case and the personal circumstances of the defendants, the Government has determined that the interests of justice will best be served by deferring prosecution in this District. The proposed Agreements contemplate an additional six-month term of supervision by Pretrial Services and, in addition to the standard terms of pretrial supervision, the proposed Agreements include the additional salient terms: • The defendants will cooperate with a pending Department of Justice Office of Inspector General review by providing truthful information related to their employment by the Bureau of Prisons, including about the events and circumstances described in the Indictment; and • The defendants will complete 100 hours of community service, preferably in an area related to the criminal justice system. The defendants have consented to the entry of the Agreements and have also admitted that they "willfully and knowingly completed materially false count and round slips regarding required counts and rounds in the Special Housing Unit of the Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 9, 2019 and August 10, 2019." The Government respectfully requests, with the consent of the defendants, through counsel, that the Court schedule a hearing date for entry of the Agreements. Having conferred with defense ' As the deferred prosecution agreements are not final until they are approved by the Court, the Government has not filed them publicly with this letter. EFTA00028582
Page 2 counsel, the Government proposes the following dates, should any of them prove convenient for the Court: [DATES] Respectfully submitted, AUDREY STRAUSS United States Attorney By: /s/ Ir Assistant United States Attorneys Cc: Defense Counsel Pretrial Services EFTA00028583