Court Documents from U.S. v. George Papadopoulos

Case l:17-cr-00182-RDM Document 10-1 Filed 10/03/17 Page 1 of 2

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
v.

GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS,

Defendant

ORDER GRANTING GOVERNMENT’S MOTION TO SEAL PLEA
AGREEMENT, TO CLOSE THE COURTROOM FOR PLEA HEARING. AND
FOR LEAVE TO FILE MOTION UNDER SEAL

Having heard the government’s motion to seal the proposed plea agreement in this matter,

to close the courtroom for the plea hearing, and for leave to file its motion and supporting exhibits

under seal; and having considered the motion and exhibits, the Court finds and orders as follows:

1. The government has established a compelling interest in maintaining the secrecy of an
ongoing, sensitive investigation;

2. a substantial probability exists that disclosing the defendant’s guilty plea and the facts
underlying that plea, either in the plea agreement or through dissemination at the plea hearing,
would compromise the ongoing investigation by discouraging individuals the government seeks
to interview from speaking or otherwise cooperating with government investigators; and

3. no measures other than sealing of the plea agreement and closing the courtroom for the
plea hearing are adequate to protect the government interest at stake, because redactions or partial
sealing of the plea agreement, or closure of the courtroom for only part of the hearing, would not
prevent the defendant’s identity as the individual pleading guilty from being publicized.

4. Accordingly, and based on the foregoing findings, it is hereby ORDERED that the
United States’ motion is GRANTED; it is further

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UNDER SEAL

Case l:17-cr-00182-RDM Document 10-1 Filed 10/03/17 Page 2 of 2

ORDERED that the proposed plea agreement shall be sealed until further order of the
Court; it is further

ORDERED that the courtroom shall be closed for the plea hearing scheduled for October
5, 2017 at 2:00 p.m., and that any transcript of that hearing shall be filed under seal; it is further
ORDERED that the United States’ October 3, 2017 motion in support of sealing and
courtroom closure, and the exhibit thereto, shall be filed under seal; and it is further

ORDERED that the motion of the United States and this Order granting that motion be
entered on the public docket under the caption United States v. Doe and that no additional
identifying information (such as counsel or the prosecutors’ office) be entered on the public docket
at this time; and it is further

ORDERED that unless the government informs the Court that continuing sealing is not
necessary before the elapse of thirty (30) days from this Order, the United States shall file a status
report within thirty (30) days of this Order setting forth any continued need to seal the plea
agreement and the transcript of the plea hearing.

Date: October _, 2017 _

United States District Judge

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