A Wellsville adoption agency reportedly is moving toward closure following publicity over a recent federal indictment.
Prosecutors allege the agency's operators duped birth parents in Samoa into placing their children for adoption.
Today a defense attorney says the non-profit Focus on Children is winding down its corporate affairs. It also is transferring adoption cases involving youngsters from countries other than Samoa to other organizations, Rebecca Hyde said.
Samoan adoptions already were halted as a result of the investigation of FOC.
"I suspect at the time this case goes to trial, Focus on Children may cease to exist as an entity," Hyde said at a hearing before U.S. Magistrate David Nuffer in Salt Lake City.
Hyde represents Karen Banks, a principal of Focus on Children. The organization itself has not yet hired an attorney.
A federal grand jury issued a 135-count indictment in February charging FOC and seven of its operator with fraud and immigration violaton. The indictment alleges that the defendants trick and coerced Samoan birth parents into giving their children to the agency for adoption, then falsely told the adoptive parents that the youngster were orphans.
The charges pertain to 37 of the 81 Samoan children placed throughout the United States by FOC. A conspiracy charge also covers some alleged uncharged acts by the defendants, who have pleaded not guilty.
At today's hearing, held to review how the case is progressing, prosecutor Dustin Pead said the government wants to trial as quickly as possible because the matter is so emotional to both birth and adoptive parents.
However, he acknowledged that it could take time to prepare for what is expected to be a six-week trial because of the thousands of pages of evidence. In addition, defense attorneys are planning to travel to Samoa this summer to interview witnesses.
Nuffer said it was too soon to set a trial date and scheduled another hearing for Sept. 4.
