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Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 293-1 Filed 05/25/21 Page 23 of 349 CHAPTER THREE: ISSUES RELATING TO THE GOVERNMENT’S INTERACTIONS AND COMMUNBTCATIONS WITTE VICTIMS ercnecnmares smmamescomsns sarmmameenarmacaan txamenmseensesns sss 189 PART ONE: FACTUAL BACKGROUND ...... ce ceceecesesceenetneeseeeeeeeneeseesaevaeeneeseenaeeeesaesaeeaeenees 189 I. OVERVIEW .....eececeeccesessesseeseesecnevsecneeseensessesaecaeveeenevsecnaescesaesesaesaevaeeneeseenseeesaeseesaeeaeats 189 Il. THE CVRA, 18 U.S.C. § 3771 ecececceseseesesseesesneeeeneesecneeseesaeseesaesaevseeneeseenaeseeaesaneaeeaeeats 189 A HIStOLY.......eecceeeceeeneceeeeeseeesseecsaeceaeeesneesaeecsaecaeeeneesaeecsaeeseeeeeneesaeecsaeeeeeseneesaeesaeenes 189 B. Enumerated Rights ...........cccesceeeceeseeesnceceeeceeeeeneesaeecaeeeseeseneesaeecaeeeeeseneesaeeesaeenes 191 ll. THE DEPARTMENT’S INTERPRETATION OF THE CVRA’S DEFINITION OF “CRIME VICTIM” AT THE TIME OF THE EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION ................ 192 A. April 1, 2005 Office of Legal Counsel “Preliminary Review”... 192 B. 2005 Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance.............. 193 ITV. USAO AND FBI VICTIM/WITNESS NOTIFICATION PRACTICE AT THE TIME ©F THE EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION oisicscsss snnmssueens scunsomasueseen savmemen cereus oases 194 A. USAO Training... ceeceeeeeeeeeceeeceeeeeneeeeeecnaecaeeeeneesaeecaeenaeeseneesaeesnaeeeneeseneeeneees 194 B. The Automated Victim Notification System ............:cecceseseeeeeceeeeeeeeeenneseeeeenneenes 195 Cc. FBI Vietim Notifieatiet, Pari PHlGte .cnrsscna assumes econ vee mae conmens arse 196 V. THEINTRODUCTORY USAO AND FBI LETTERS TO VICTIMS... eee 196 A. August 2006: The FBI Victim Notification Letters ............ceceeeceeeseeeeeeeereeenees 196 B. Auoust 2006: The USAO's Lethers 16 ViCtit1s secs ssmenmensmencncann cammanmemsnes mune 198 c. USAO and FBI Letters Are Hand Delivered .00.... eee ceee see seeeseeeeeeneenaeeneeees 200 VI. AUGUST 2006 —- SEPTEMBER 2007: FBI AND USAO CONTACTS WITH VICTIMS BEFORE THE NPA IS SIGNED... ceeeeeeeecnseeeeeseseeeneeseeneeseesaeseesaeeaeeatens 200 A. The Case Agents and Villafafia Solicit Some Victims’ Opinions about Resolving the Federal Investigation..............:ceccessceceeeeeeeeeeeeeseecnaeceneeeeneesaeesnaeenes 201 B. Before the NPA Is Signed, Villafafia Expresses Concern That Victims Have Not Been Consulted... eceecesescsseensesseeseeeseesseeaeenaesaeesaeeseesaeesaeenaesaes 202 Ls July 2007: Villafafia’s Email Exchanges with Menchel...............:c 202 2. Villafafia Asserts That Her Supervisors Gave Instructions Not to Consult Victims about the Plea Discussions, but Her Supervisors Do Not Currently Recall Such Instructions ...........cecceeceeeeeeeeeteteeeeeeeenes 204 3. September 6, 2007: Villafafia Informs Sloman, Who Informs Acosta, of Oosterbaan’s Opinion That Consultation with Victims Was Required... ceecceeccesscecseeceeeeeseeeseeceaeeeeeseneesaeecaeeeaeessneesaeessaeeneeeenes 204 VII. SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 — JUNE 30, 2008: AFTER THE NPA IS SIGNED, THE USAO MAKES VARIOUS VICTIM NOTIFICATION DECISIONS. ..........ceceeeeeees 206 XX DOJ-OGR-00004320