USA v. Venetz

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
AT KNOXVILLE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 	)
)
Plaintiff, 	)
v. 	) 	No. 3:25-CR-27-KAC-DCP
)
TERRY CRAIG VENETZ, 	)
)
Defendant. 	)
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
All pretrial motions in this case have been referred to the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
§ 636(b) for disposition or recommendation as appropriate. 	This case is before the Court on
Defendant Terry Craig Venetz’s Second Motion to Continue Trial Date and All Related Deadlines
[Doc. 32], filed on January 12, 2026.
Defendant asks the Court to continue the February 10, 2026 trial date and reset all related
deadlines, including the January 12, 2026 plea deadline [Id. ¶¶ 1–2]. In support of his motion,
Defendant states that in the fall of 2025, Defendant argued a Motion to Suppress before the
undersigned [Id. ¶ 3]. The undersigned issued a Report and Recommendation on January 7, 2026
[Id. ¶ 4]. Defendant asserts that counsel needs time to file objections to the Report and
Recommendations and to receive a ruling on his suppression motion from the District Judge [Id. ¶
6]. Once the District Judge rules, the parties will need time to determine if a negotiated resolution
is appropriate [Id. ¶ 6]. [Id.]. Defendant states he has been advised of his speedy trial rights and
waives them in relation to this motion [Id. ¶ 9]. Finally, he represents that the Government does
not object to this request [Id. ¶ 8].
Based upon the information in Defendant’s motion and because the Government does not
oppose the continuance, the Court finds the ends of justice served by granting a continuance
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outweigh the interests of Defendant and the public in a speedy trial. See 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(7)(A).
In making this determination, the Court has considered the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C.
§ 3161(h)(7)(B). Specifically, the Court concludes that failing to grant a continuance would both
result in a miscarriage of justice and deny counsel for Defendant the reasonable time necessary for
effective preparation, accounting for the exercise of due diligence. See id. § 3161(h)(7)(B)(i), (iv).
On September 19, 2025, Defendant filed a dispositive motion seeking to suppress evidence seized
during a traffic stop. See id. § 3161(h)(1)(D). On October 29, 2025, the undersigned held a hearing
on the motion, which involved the testimony of one witness and oral argument regarding three
video recordings [See Doc. 28, Exhibit and Witness List]. The undersigned entered a Report and
Recommendation on January 7, 2026 [Doc. 31]. Defendant filed objections on January 21, 2026
[Doc. 33], and the Government filed a notice of no objections the following day [Doc. 34]. The
Government has time to respond to Defendant’s objections, and thereafter, the District Judge will
rule on the motion considering the report and recommendation and the parties’ filings. See id. §
3161(h)(1)(D) & (h)(1)(H). After receiving the Court’s ruling, the parties may need time to prepare
for trial. The Court finds that all this cannot occur before the February 10, 2026 trial date.
The Court therefore GRANTS Defendant Terry Craig Venetz’s Second Motion to
Continue Trial Date and All Related Deadlines [Doc. 32]. After consulting with counsel for both
parties, the trial of this case is reset to April 14, 2026. A new trial schedule is included below.
Because the Court has found that the ends of justice served by granting a continuance outweigh
the interests of Defendant and the public in a speedy trial, all time between the filing of the motion
on January 12, 2026, and the new trial date is fully excludable time under the Speedy Trial Act.
See 18 U.S.C. § 3161(h)(1)(D), (h)(1)(H, (h)(7)(A)–(B).
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Accordingly, the Court ORDERS as follows:
(1) 	Defendant Terry Craig Venetz’s Second Motion to Continue Trial
Date and All Related Deadlines [Doc. 32] is GRANTED;
(2) 	the trial of this matter is reset to commence on April 14, 2026, at
9:00 a.m., before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States
District Judge;
(3) 	all time between the filing of the motion on January 12, 2026, and
the new trial date of April 14, 2026, is fully excludable time under
the Speedy Trial Act for the reasons set forth herein;
(4) 	the deadline for filing a plea agreement in the record and providing
reciprocal discovery is March 13, 2026;
(5) 	the deadline for filing motions in limine is March 30, 2026, and
responses to motions in limine are due on or before April 7, 2026;
(6) 	the parties are to appear before the undersigned for a final pretrial
conference on March 31, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.; and
(7) 	requests for special jury instructions with appropriate citations to
authority pursuant to Local Rule 7.4 shall be filed on or before April
3, 2026.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
ENTER:
____________________________
Debra C. Poplin
United States Magistrate Judge
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