Context & Timeline
- June 25, 2024— Indictment unsealed; case assigned to Judge Caproni. Department of Justice
- 6–12, 2025— Court grants the government’s in-limine motions and excludes the defense’s proposed legal-ethics expert (Tyler Maulsby). Leagle
- 21, 2025— Jury convicts on four counts; DOJ details scheme and max penalties; acquittal on conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Department of Justice
- June 26, 2025— Initial sentencing date set post-verdict.
- 6, 2025— Final sentencing submissions due; court warns no further adjournments absent very good cause. Court Listener
- 20, 2025— SDNY calendar lists sentencing; at the hearing Caproni permits a last-minute counsel switch and admonishes Reese. U.S District Court
Evidence, Records, and What We Can Prove
- Conviction and counts— DOJ press release (Mar. 21, 2025). Department of Justice
- UPL theory via federal enclave— Pretrial rulings and opinion excluding defense expert; application of New York Judiciary Law §§ 484, 485-a via the Assimilative Crimes Act, 18 U.S.C. § 13. Leagle
- Firm sentencing briefing schedule— Docket entry reflecting Aug. 6, 2025 submission deadline. Court Listener
- 20 calendar listing— SDNY weekly proceedings (sentencing set for both 12-CR-629 supervised-release matter and 24-CR-402). U.S District Court
- Hearing development— Reese’s last minute counsel change and judge’s “playing games”
Why New York’s UPL law applies in federal court here. The Assimilative Crimes Act lets federal courts in federal enclaves adopt state criminal law where no federal statute covers the conduct. Judge Caproni’s pretrial order framed the UPL count through New York Judiciary Law §§ 484, 485-a via the ACA — the core of the government’s theory that Reese practiced law without a license inside SDNY’s federal courthouses. Leagle
Sentencing posture. After Booker, judges consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and then apply 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). In fraud cases, loss amount, number of victims, vulnerability, and obstruction can drive the advisory range; money-laundering conspiracy can add separate enhancements. The judge’s warning about “playing games” signals skepticism that could impact acceptance-of-responsibility issues (already unlikely post-trial) or prompt an obstruction enhancement if supported by the record — but that’s fact-bound and will turn on the PSR and the parties’ memos. (General framework; not specific to this case.)
New-trial angle. Rule 33 motions must be filed within 14 days of the verdict (except for newly discovered evidence, which has a longer window). PacerMonitor reflects briefing around a defense new-trial motion earlier in the summer; the government opposed.
