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Court Grants Partial GPS for Employment to Defendant Matthew Soudiaga; Curfew and Travel Limits Ordered
Summary
A judge changed Matthew Soudiaga’s electronic-monitoring condition from full house arrest to partial GPS for employment only, allowing work Sunday–Thursday, 10 p.m.–6 a.m., with a 30-minute travel allowance and a requirement to show proof of employment.
The court granted a defense request to modify Matthew Soudiaga’s electronic-monitoring conditions, changing full house arrest to partial GPS for the limited purpose of employment and specifying strict hours, travel limits and documentation requirements.
The change matters because it allows the defendant to return to work while preserving monitoring and curfew conditions the court said are necessary to address victim-safety concerns.
Defense attorney David Andre Woodard presented Soudiaga’s testimony and an employment offer obtained through a staffing agency. Soudiaga told the court he had a warehouse job through a temp agency with scheduled hours Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. He said the employer and the staffing agency were aware of the pending charges.
The state objected based on victim safety after speaking with the victim’s mother, but the court allowed a narrow change. The court granted partial GPS for employment only: Sunday through Thursday, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., with a 30-minute travel allowance to and from work (the judge cited an 18-minute drive). The court required proof of employment and specified that the defendant may not deviate from travel directly to and from work; any stop (for example, at a restaurant) would be a violation subject to hearing.
The judge also reminded the defendant that any violation of the modified conditions would trigger notice and a possible return to full monitoring or bond review. Soudiaga said he had no contact with the alleged victim since being placed on GPS and did not intend to contact the victim.
The court's order permits the limited work schedule upon presentation of verification of employment and will be enforced by probation and the electronic-monitoring vendor.
