James v. United States of America

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
SEAN JAMES,
Plaintiff,
-against-
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Defendant.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Case No. 1:25-mc-1560-FB
Appearances:
For the Plaintiff:
SEAN JAMES, pro se
847 Americus Avenue.
East Patchogue, NY 11772
For the Government:
BLOCK, Senior District Judge:
Sean James moves to expunge the record of his criminal conviction in United States v.
James, 99-cr-219 (E.D.N.Y. 1999). Because the Court lacks jurisdiction to consider such a
motion, James’s motion is DISMISSED.
In March 1999, James was indicted on one count of failing to file an accurate report when
transporting more than $10,000 out of the country in violation of 31 U.S.C. § 5316(a), and one
count of lying to the United States Custom Service in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. The result
of these proceedings is sealed, but based on James’s current motion, they evidently resulted in a
conviction. See Motion to Expunge, Dkt. 1.
James now seeks to have that record expunged. He represents that he is attempting to
pursue a career in the medical field and is trying to acquire a handgun license, but that his
criminal record prevents him from doing so. The Court is well aware of the many unjust
collateral consequences of a conviction. See United States v. Nesbeth, 188 F. Supp. 3d 179
(E.D.N.Y. 2016). Unfortunately, the Court is powerless to consider James’s motion. James seeks
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to have his record expunged on purely equitable grounds, but the Second Circuit has determined
that, except in limited circumstances provided for by statute, district courts lack subject matter
jurisdiction to expunge valid convictions. Doe v. United States, 833 F.3d 192, 196 (2d Cir. 2016).
Because this case is indistinguishable from Doe, where the plaintiff similarly sought
expungement due to the hardships imposed by the collateral consequences of her conviction, the
Court must dismiss James’s motion.
SO ORDERED.
_/S/ Frederic Block___________
FREDERIC BLOCK
Senior United States District Judge
Brooklyn, New York
February 19, 2026
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