Pursuant to 5 T H C IR . R. 47.5 , the court has determined that this opinionshould not * be publishe d and is not precedent except under the limited circu mstance s set forth in 5 T H C IR . R. 47.5 .4. 

### INTHE UNITED S TATESCOU RT OFAPPEALS

FORTHEFIFTH CIRCU IT

N o. 08- 51128 U N IT E D S T A T E S O F AM E R IC A , P l ai n t i f f

- A pp el l ee v. A L D O A N T O N IO H E R N A N D E Z -M O YA , D e fe nda nt - Appe l l ant

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rom t h e U n i t ed S t ates D i st ri ctC ou rt f or th e W est ern D i st ri ctof T exas U SDC N o . 7 : 0 8
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Ju dg e, an d S M ITH an d D eM O S S , C i rcui tJu dg es. P E R C U R IA M: * W h i l e d rivin g o n In tersta te 20 , D efen d a n t- A p p ell a n t A l d o A n to n io H ern a n d ez -M oy aw a s stop p edbybo rd e rp a tr ol ag en ts an dch a rg edw i th t ran sport i n g i l l egal al i en s. H e p l ed gu i l t y w h i l e reservi n g t h e ri gh tt o pu rsue a m ot i on t o s uppres s evi denc e obt ai ned by t he bor derpatr olagent s, ass er t i ng t hat t he s t o p was c o nduc t e d wi t ho utreason abl e a nd a r t i c ul ab l e s us pi c i o n. I n a t hor ough and well
- r eas oned r ul i ng t hatdev el ops t he fac t s m or e thor oughl y t han w e n e e dd o h e r e , t h e d i s t r i c tc o u r td e n i e d t h e mo t i o n t o s u p p r e s s . We a f f i r m, United States Court of App eals

Fifth Circuit 

### F I L E D November

25, 2009 Cha rl es R. F ulb ru g e II I ClerkN o. 08- 51128

2 f i n di n g t h at th e di st ri ctcourtdi d n oterran d that t h e use of t h e B rign on i
- Pon ce st andard t o a ss es s r ovi ng bor derpat r ols t ops doe s notvi ol at e the E qual P rot ect i on C l au se. I . Bac kgr ound H e r nand e z - M o yaw as c har ge d i n at w o - c o unti ndi c t m e nto f t r ans po r t i ng i l l egal al i en s and usi n g an d possessi n g coun t erf ei ta l i en regi st rat i on docum en t s. T h e s e c h a r g e s a r o s e a ft e r t w o b o r d e r p a t r o l a g e n t s s t o p p e dH e r n a n d e z -M o y a ’s ve h i cl e a n ddiscov ere dsi x ill eg a lali en s f rom M ex i co, i n cl u d i n g D efen d a n tA p p e lla n t h im s e lf. A gen tM i c hae lM e ye ra nd h i s pa r t ne rw e r e pa r ke d i n am ar ke d Bo rder Patr olSU Vand obs ervi ng eas tbound t r af f i ct r aveli ng on I nt er st at e H i ghw ay 20, e as t o f M i dl and , Tex as . I nt e r s t at e 2 0 i s ahe av i l y t r av e l e d c o r r i do rl i nki ng t he ElPas o a r e a on the U . S.

- M e xi c o b o r de ra nd the D all as - For tW o r t h a r e a. The ag e nt s ’SU V w as pa r ke d o n t he m e di an o f t he hi ghwaya nd t he hea dli ght s o f t he S U Vsh i n edon to the pa ssingcars . A s a re su l t, the ag en ts h a da cl ea r v i ew i n to t he i nt e r i o r s of pa ssi n g ve hi c l e s . Ar o und 6: 00 a . m . , Age ntM e ye ro bs e rve d a da r k- c o l o r e d Che vyTaho e pa s s o n t he i nt e r s t at e . The Taho e w as no tv i o l at i ng an y t raf f i c l aw s. A gen tM eyer observed six occupa n t s i n t h e T ah oe al lof w h om a p p e a r e dto b e H is p a n ic . T h e agen t s f

ol l ow ed the T ah oe an d ran a com pu t er c h eck, w h i ch show ed t h at th e car w as regi st ered t o an add ress i n G arl an d, T exas, n ear D al l as. A f t er t h e agen t s’veh i cl e pu l l ed in to traff i c behi n d the T ah oe, t h e T ah oe w eaved sl i gh t l y f

r o m s i de t o s i de , t ho ughno to ut s i de it s m ar ke d l ane , a nd s l o w ed consi derab l y bel ow t h e sp eed l i m i t . A s A gen tM eyer pu l l ed i n cl oser, he observed t hatt h eTaho e no w a ppe ar e d t o o nl y c o nt ai n t w o i ndivi dua l s — t he dr ive ra nd the f r ontpas se nger . AgentM eye ri nfer r ed t hat t he f ourpas se nger s i n t he bac k had d u c k e dd o w n to h id e .N o. 08- 51128

3 B ased on t h ese fact s, A gen t M eyer pu l l ed over t h e T ah oe a n d con du ct ed an i m m i gr at i o n s t o p. U po n que s t i o ni ng by Age nt M e ye r , H e r nand e z - M o ya , t he dr ive ro f

t he Taho e , a dm i t t e d thathe w as aM e xi can n ati on alw ho w as i n t he U n i t ed S t ates i l l egally. U pon f u rt h er questi on i n g, t h e rem ai n i n g pa ssen gers al soi ndi ca t ed thatt hey w er e i n t he U ni t ed St at es il l egall y. H er nandez- M oya w a s th e n a r r e s te da n dta k e n to th e B o r d e rP a tr o l s ta tio n inM id la n d . H e r n a n d e z -M o y afil e dam o tio n to s u p p r e s s a ll o f th e co u n te r fe it do c um e nt s a nd o t he re vi de nc e s e i z e d f r o m t he Taho e a nd a l li nc r i m i nat i ng s t at e m e nt s m ad e t o l aw enf o r c e m e nto f

f i c i al s . H e r nand e z - M o yaar gue d thatt he ag e nt s di d no tha ver e as o nab l e a nd a r t i c ul ab l e s us pi ci o n t o c o nduc tt he s t o p. T h e d i stri ct cou rt de n i edthe m oti on . T h ere a ft er, H ern a n d ez -M oy apledgu i l ty to bo thcou n ts of th e ind i ctm en t, bu t re tain edh i s ri gh t to a p p ea lth e m oti on to sup press. H erna n dez-M oya n ow app e al s t h e den i alof hi s m ot i on t o sup press. I I . St andard of

R evi ew T h is co u r t r e v ie w s th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s fa c tu a l fin d in g s u n d e rth e cle a r ly e r r o n e o u s s ta n d a r d . Un ite dS ta te s v . In o c e n c io , 4 0 F .3d7 1 6 , 7 2 1 (5t h C ir. 1 9 9 4 ). T h e evi den ce presented ata pre- t ri alhea ri n g on a m ot i on t o sup press i s vi ew ed in th e ligh t m o s t fa v o r a b le to th e p r e v a ilin gp a r ty . Id . Th e c onc l usi ons of l aw d erive df

rom a d i stri ct cou rt’ s f i n d i n gs of fact, su ch as w h eth er a re a s o n a b le s us pi c i o n e xi s t e d t o s t o p av e hi c l e , a r e r e vi e w e d de no vo . I d. I I I . D i s cus s i on A. Vehi c l e St op A pp el l an targu es th at t h e di st ri ct court erred by app l yi n g t h e st an da rd f or border searches un der Un i t ed S t ate s v. B rign on i
- Pon ce rat h er t h an t h e searc h ands e i z ur e s t and ar d a r t i c ul at e d i n T er ry v. O h io . S eeT

er ry v. O h io , 3 92 U . S. 1 , 8 8 S . C t. 1 8 6 8 (1 9 6 8 ); Un i t ed S t ate s v. B rign on i
- Pon ce , 4 2 2 U . S . 8 7 3 , 9 5 S . C t. 257 4 ( 197 5) . A pp el l an tass e rts that th e B rign on i
- Pon ces ta n d a r dis o n lyN o. 08- 51128

4 a p p lic a b le to th o s e ca s e s in v o lv in gaclo s e p r o x im ityto th e b o r d e r . T h is is in c o r r e c t. T h is co u r t h a s h e ldt h a t r o v in gb o r d e rp a tr o l s to p s , e v e n th o s e n o t in cl ose proxi m i t y t o t h e border, shou l d be an al yzed u si n g t h e Brigno ni
- Pon ce fa c to r s . In o ce n cio , 4 0 F .3 da t 7 2 2 . S ee a lso Un it ed S tates v. O r o z c o , 1 9 1 F. 3d 578, 581- 582 n. 3 ( 5t h C i r . 1999) ( appl yi ng B rign on i
- Pon cet o a st op that oc curred s o m e 2 00
- 30 0 m i l e s a w ayf r o m t he b o r de rand r ej e c t i ng t he a r gum e ntt hats t o ps beyo nd a 100- m i l e z one f r om t he bo rd er ar e pr ec l uded f r om a B rign on i
- Pon ce in q u iry). P ro x im ityto th e b o rd e r is o n ly o n e of an u m b e r o f B rign on i
- Pon ce fac t o r s w e i ghe d when de t e r m i ni ng w he t he rab o r de rpa t r o la gen tha d the r e q u is ite re a s o n a b le s u s p ic io n to m a k e as to p . In o c e n c io , 4 0 F .3 da t 7 2 2 . In th e a lte r n a tiv e , A p p e lla n t c o n te n d s t h a t e v e n if t h e co u r t w e r e to a p p ly t h e B rign on i
- Pon ce stan d a rd , th e bord er pa trol a ge n t stil l l a ck edthe req u i sit e reasona bl e suspi ci on f or a vehi cl e st op. Th e B rign on i
- Pon ce i n q u iryi s a “fa ct- i n ten sive test i n w h i ch the cou rt l oo k s at a l lci rcu m stan ces tog eth er to w eigh n o t th e in d ivid u a ll a ye rs, bu t th e lam i n a tedtotal. ” Uni t e d S t at e s v. Jac qui not , 2 5 8 F . 3d 423, 427 ( 5t h C i r . 2001) . A nu m berof fac t or s m ay be c o ns i de r e d, i nc l udi ng: c har ac t e ri st i cs of t he a r e a, s uc h a s it s pr o xi m i t y t o t he border, usu alt raf

f i c patt erns, previ ou s experi en ce w i t h al i en t ra f f ic ; inf orm ati on a b o u t r e c e n t ille g a l b o r d e rcr o s s in g s ; t h e d r i v e r ' s b e h a v io r , su c h a s e r r a tic dr ivi ng o ro bv i o us a t t e m pt s t o e vade of f i c e r s ; t he dr ive r ’ s b e hav i o r , t he ap pe ar anc e o f

t he v e hi c l e , s uc h a s w he t her the vehic l e i s he av i l y l o ad e d; a nd ap pea ran ce of

t h e persons in th e veh i cl e such a s if of f i cers observe passeng ers tr y in gto h id e . B rign on i
- Pon ce , 4 2 2 U .S . a t 8 8 4 -8 5 . N o s in g le fa c to ris con tro ll i n g, an d the absen ce of an y pa rt i cul ar fact or i s not determ i n ative. Uni t e d St at e sv . Car do na , 9 5 5 F .2 d9 7 6 , 9 8 0 (5 th C ir . 1 9 9 2 ). I n it s r ul i ng, t he di s t r i c tc o ur tf o und t he e va s iveb e hav i o ro f t he pa s s e nge r s t o b e t he m o s ts i gnif i c antfac t o rs upp o r t i ng r e as o nab l e s us pi c i o n. A gent M eye rt es t i f

i ed thathe i ni t i al l y s aw s i x pe opl e i n t he Tahoe as i tdr ove pastt he age nt s’m ar ked Borde rPat r olve hi c l e. M eye rt es t if i ed, how eve r , t hatN o. 08- 51128

5 on l y t w o of

t h e six occupa n t s c ou l d be seen af t er the B order P atr olveh i cl e pu l l ed on t o t h e i n t erst ate t o f ol l ow t h e T ah oe. A gen t M eyer an d hi s pa rt n er c on cl u ded th a t t h e T a h o e ’ s p a s s e n g e r s w e r e a tt e m p tin gto h id e b yd u c k in gd o w n . T h is c o ur tha s pr e vi o us l y f o und “evasivea c t i o n o f pa s s e nge r s ” t o b e a“ s i gnif i c ant fa c to r” in ju s ti f

y i n ga s t o p . Un itedS ta tes v. G a rc ia , 73 2 F . 2 d12 2 1 , 12 2 5 ( 5 th C i r . 1984) . A ge ntM eye ral soob se rved t hatt he pas se nger s appear ed t o b e H is p a n ic . B rign on i
- Pon ce he l d thatw hi l e as t o p b as e d o n t he et hni c i t y o f t he vehi c l e o ccu p ant s al one c annotbe j ust i f i ed, appear ance and ethni c i t y c an be c o n s id e r e da s a n o th e rfa c to r . 4 2 2 U .S . a t 8 8 6 -8 7 . Vi e wi ng t he t o t a l i t y o f t he c i r c um s t a nc e s , t he b o r d e r p a t r o l a g e nt s had ar t i c ul ab l e fac t s , t o ge t h erw i t h r at i o nali nfe r e nc e s , r e as o nab l y w ar r ant i ng s u s p ic io n th a t A p p e lla n t’s v e h ic le m a yh a v e co n ta in e dille g a l a lie n s . S ee B rign on i
- Pon ce , 422 U . S . at 884 . W e agree w i t h t h e di st ri ctcourt ’ s ana l ysi s. B . E q u a lP r o t e c t i o n C l a i ms A pp el l an tal so argues t h at iti s a vi ol ati on of t h e E qu alP rot ect i on C l au se t o a pp l y t h e B rign on i
- Pon ce te s t b a s e do n th e H is p a n ice th n ic ityo f th e v e h ic le occupa n t s w h i l e app l yi n g t h e T err y t estt o w h i t e v eh i cl e occup an t s s t opp ed f or n on - i m m i grati on reasons. A pp el l an t ’ s argum en tm i sst ates th e di f ference betw een t h e t w o t est s. T h e app l i cat i on of one tes tover th e ot h er does not t u rn u pon race or et h n i cit y bu t on t h e t yp e of l aw en f orcem en t of

f i cers an d the n ature o f th e s to p . Te r ry a n alysi s app l i es t o i n vest i gative st ops m ad e by l ocalpol i ce o ffi ce rs , w h i l e B rign on i
- Pon cea p p lie s to s to p s b yro v in gb o r d e ra g e n ts . S ee T err y , 3 9 2 U .S . a t 5 ; B rign on i
- Pon ce , 4 2 2 U .S . a t 8 8 1 -8 2 ; Car do na , 955 F. 2d at 9 8 0 . F u rt h er, un der B rign on i
- Pon ce , et h n i cit y al on e does not det erm i n e or s upp o r tr e as on able s us pi c i o n f o ras t o p. 4 22 U . S. a t8 86
- 87 . H o w e ve r , t he Supr e m e Cour tha s he l d thate t hni c ap pe ar anc e m ay be c o ns i de r e d a s o ne o f t he rel evan tfact ors i n sup porti n g a reasona bl e suspi ci on t h at a veh i cl e i s i n volved in th e tr a n s p o r ta tio n o f ille g a l a lie n s . I d. W e f i n d that app l yi n g t h e B rig n o n i-N o. 08- 51128

6 Pon ce fact ors t o a roving border pa t rolst op d oes not vi ol ate th e E qu alP rot ect i on C l au se. IV . Con cl usi on T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s o r d e rd e n y in gth e m o t i o n to s u p p r e s s a p p r o p r ia te ly ap pl i ed the B rign on i
- Pon ce s t and ar d andt ho r o ugh l y c o ns i de r e d a l lt he r e l e va nt fa c t o r s . F o re s s e n t i a l l yt h e s a me r e a s o n s a r t i c u l a t e d byt h e d i s t r i c tc o u r t , we a ffir m th e ju d g m e n t o f c o n v ic tio n . A F F I RMED.