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Extracted Text (OCR)
Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document672 Filed 06/24/22 Page 3 of 68
LAW OFFICES OF BOBBI C. STERNHEIA\
The CVRA Applies Only to Federal Crimes
Based on the text, origin and limited legislative history, the CVRA applies to victims of
federal crimes only. 18 U.S.C. § 3771(e). The federal crimes of conviction require the
involvement of minors. The Individuals claiming sexual abuse who were not minors may
qualify generically as victims of sexual abuse but not as statutory victims of the federal offenses
of conviction.
The Individuals Are Not "Victims" of the Counts of Conviction
Neither the Superseding Indictment nor the Court’s jury instructions support a position
that anyone who was not a minor is a "victim" of the counts of conviction. The involvement of a
minor is an essential element of the federal offense conduct. Maria Farmer claims she was
abused during the time period of the indictment; however, she was not a minor. Sarah Ransome
was not a minor when she claims she interacted with Epstein and Ms. Maxwell from
approximately October 2006 to April 2007, a full two years after the conduct in this case ended.
Teresa Helm also was not a minor and it is unknown when she claims to have had contact with
Epstein and Ms. Maxwell. It is unknown whether Juliette Bryant was a minor or when she claims
to have had contact with Epstein and Ms. Maxwell. None of these Individuals testified at trial
and their credibility remains unexamined. Regarding the charges in this case, they do not qualify
as victims under the CVRA.
The Individuals Are Not "Victims" Within the Meaning of the CVRA
For the Individuals to invoke the rights enumerated under the CVRA, they must first be
determined to be "victims" within the meaning of the statute. The CVRA defines a “crime
victim” as “a person directly and proximately harmed as a result of the commission of a Federal
offense or an offense in the District of Columbia.” 18 U.S.C. 3771(e)(2)(A) (emphasis added).
DOJ-OGR-00010594
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| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00010594.jpg |
| File Size | 692.6 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 94.4% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 1,980 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 18:00:29.838339 |