USA v. Spain

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
v. Case No. 25-CR-209-JFH
RAYMOND LEWIS SPAIN,
Defendant.
OPINION AND ORDER
Before the Court is a Motion to Dismiss (“Motion”) filed by the United States of America
(“Government”). Dkt. No. 51. The Government moves to dismiss the Indictment [Dkt. No. 2] as
to Defendant Raymond Lewis Spain (“Defendant”) because it has been credibly informed of
Defendant’s death. Id.
Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 48(a), “courts must grant prosecutors leave to dismiss charges
unless dismissal is clearly contrary to manifest public interest.” United States v. Robertson, 45
F.3d 1423, 1437 n.14 (10th Cir. 1995) (quoting Rinaldi v. United States, 434 U.S. 22, 30 (1977)).
The Court concludes that dismissal of the charges against Defendant is not contrary to the public
interest, nor is it for an improper purpose. For the reasons stated in the Motion, the Government’s
motion to dismiss should be granted.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the Government’s Motion to Dismiss [Dkt. No. 51]
is GRANTED and the Indictment [Dkt. No. 2] is dismissed without prejudice.
Dated this 9th day of October 2026.
______________________________________
JOHN F. HEIL, III
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
6:25-cr-00209-JFH Document 52 Filed in ED/OK on 10/09/26 Page 1 of 1