Judge won't remove lawyer in federal gun case against suspect in Cassandra Gross disappearance

A judge on Wednesday refused to remove the attorney for a Unity man suspected in the 2018 disappearance of Cassandra Gross from his representation in an unrelated gun case.

Instead, Chief U.S. District Judge Mark R. Hornak ordered that Komron Jon Maknoon continue working with Thomas G. Stanko, 51, in preparation for a sentencing hearing that will be scheduled in a couple months.

“There’s nothing on the record that would indicate any basis to dismiss” Maknoon from the case, Hornak ruled, adding the two men appear to have no animosity toward each other.

Stanko pleaded guilty in November to two counts of illegally having guns as a convicted felon. In February, court filings indicated that Maknoon sought to be removed from the case because of trust, personality and communication issues with his client.

Stanko is a suspect in the disappearance of Gross, though he has not been charged. He has been in jail since April 2018 on unrelated charges, including the federal weapons case.

The federal charges stem from 17 guns state police said they found on Stanko’s Unity property and a storage unit he rented in August 2018. He has a previous felony conviction that prohibits him from possessing a firearm.

Maknoon told Hornak Wednesday he and Stanko have had lengthy conversations but experience difficulties in addressing matters related to the case because of discussions about other topics. Maknoon said he wants to get the case wrapped up but expressed uncertainty in how much guidance he will get from his client.

“It is very difficult to me to make progress with the objective of the sentencing memorandum … and to sentencing,” he said.

Hornak encouraged Stanko to cooperate with Maknoon and his questions to prepare for sentencing.

“You need to give him direct answers,” Hornak said.

Gross of Unity last was seen April 7, 2018. She was reported missing April 9, 2018. The next day, state police found her Mitsubishi Outlander burned in a wooded area near Twin Lakes Park.

In the days after her disappearance, state police were seen searching two Unity properties Stanko owned at the time. In May 2020, troopers found a few items during a search at a home where Stanko’s mother lives on White Fence Lane next to Unity Cemetery. Those items, which have not been publicly detailed, were sent for testing.

A judge in 2019 declared Gross legally dead. State police classify the case as a homicide. No arrests have been made. She would be 56.

Prosecutors have said they anticipated filing homicide charges against Stanko, but the case was delayed by the federal gun case and turnover in the district attorney’s office. Prosecutors have said solving the case is a top priority.