United States v. Maximiliano Sanchez-Escareno, Adolpho Ayala Sanchez and David Garcia Lopez

WINGATE, District Judge:

The government here appeals the district court’s dismissal of various criminal charges against the appellees on the ground of double jeopardy. Prior to the return of criminal indictments against the appellees, United States Customs officials had arrested appellees and assessed large civil fines against them for possessing marijuana and attempting to import same into the United States from Mexico. The assessed civil fines addressed the same con duct which was the basis of the subsequent criminal indictments. 1 Appellees acknowledged the civil fines by executing…