Court Documents from U.S. v. George Papadopoulos

Case l:17-cr-00182-RDM Document 13 Filed 10/05/17 Page 1 of 2

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

FILED

OCT -5 2017

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
v.

GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS,
Defendant.

Clerk, U.S. District and
Bankruptcy Courts

Criminal No. 17-182 (RDM)

Filed Under Seal

ORDER

Having heard the Government’s motion to seal the proposed plea agreement in this matter
and to close the courtroom for the plea hearing, and having considered the motion and exhibits,
the Court finds 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 in the near future from speaking or otherwise cooperating with Government
investigators; and

3. No measures other than the sealing of the plea agreement and closing of 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.

Accordingly, based on the foregoing findings, it is hereby ORDERED that the United

Case l:17-cr-00182-RDM Document 13 Filed 10/05/17 Page 2 of 2

States’ motion is GRANTED; it is further

ORDERED that the 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 until further
order of the Court; and it is further

ORDERED that the Government shall immediately inform the Court if continued sealing
is not necessary, and that on or before November 6, 2017, the Government shall file a status
report with the Court setting forth any continued need to seal the plea agreement and transcript of

the plea hearing.

Date: October 5, 2017

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