# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 6- 18 36

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Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e ,

v.

Je rry L. Gater,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - C ap e Gir ard eau

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Su bm it te d: Apri l 5 , 20 17 Fil ed : Au gu st 17 , 20 17

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Befo re COLLOTON, BEAM, and BENTON, Circu it Ju dg es

.

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COLLOTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

Je rry Gate r was co nv ic te d of po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e co cai ne ba se

an d s en te nc ed to 14 6 m on th s’ i m pr is on m en t. On ap pe al , h e arg ue s th at th e di st ric t

co ur t erre d whe n it de ni ed hi s req ue st fo r a he ari ng on hi s cl ai m th at po li ce of fic ers 1

The Hon or ab le St ep he n N. Lim ba ug h, Jr
., Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e 1 East ern Dis tri ct of Mi ss ou ri, ad op ti ng th e rep or t an d reco m m en da ti on of th ese cu red a se arch w arra nt by om it ti ng m at eri al in fo rm at io n fro m th e affi da vi t

su bm it te d to th e is su in g jud ge

. W e co nc lu de th at th e d is tri ct co ur t pr op erl y de ni ed
Gate r’s req ue st for a he ari ng , and we th eref or e aff irm.

I.

In Decem

be r 20 14
, Offi cer B o b b y Su ll iv an of th e Si ke st on , Mi ss ou ri Dep art m en t of Pu bl ic Safe ty se rv ed as a ta sk fo rce of fic er wit h th e Dru g Enfo rcem en t Adm in is tra ti on

. On Decem be r 16
, Su ll iv an pr ep ared an affi da vi t an d ap pl ic at io n fo r

a se arch warra nt to se arch Gate r’s res id en ce. In th e affi da v i t , S u ll iv an pr ov id ed
in fo rm at io n th at he sa id was di sc lo se d to hi m by two co nf id en ti al so u r c e s o n th ree

se pa rat e d ay s.

Acco rd in g to th e affi da vi t, th e fir st so ur ce ex pl ai ne d to Su ll iv an on Decem be r 9 th at du rin g th e pr ev io us two week s, th e so ur ce ha d wit ne s s e d G at er se ll in g m or e th an an ou nc e of po wde r an d crac k co cai ne fro m hi s tru ck in Si ke st on

. The ne xt da y , Su ll iv an av erre d, a se co nd so ur ce to ld hi m th at th e so ur ce ha d vi si t e d G a te r’s

res id en ce se ve ral ti m es wit h ot he rs whi le th ey pu rch as ed co cai ne

. On each oc cas io n,

sa id th e so ur c e, Gate r ha d m or e th an an ou nc e of crac k co cai ne in hi s po ss es si on

. The sa m e so ur ce, on Decem be r 16
, to ld Su ll iv an th at th e so ur ce ha d jus t se en Gate r
at hi s res id en ce wit h ap pr ox im at el y fiv e ou nc es of co cai ne , ov er two po un ds of

m ari juan a, an d th ree ro ll s of on e-h un dr ed -d ol la r bi ll s th at to ta le d m or e th an $2 0,0 00

.

Afte r th e se arch warra nt was is su ed
, Su ll iv an an d ot he r of fic ers se arch ed
Gate r’s res id en ce. The y fo un d crac k co cai ne , dr ug pa rap he rn al ia
, an d $4 ,60 0 in cas h.
A gr an d jury ch arg ed Gate r wit h po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e co cai ne ba se , in
vi ol at io n o f 21 U.S.C. § 8 41 (a)( 1) an d (b )(1 )(C)

.

Hon or ab le Abb ie Cri te s- Leo ni
, Uni te d St at es M a g is tra te Ju dg e fo r th e East ern Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.

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-G a t e r , pr oc eed in g pr o se , fil ed a m ot io n to su pp res s ev id en ce an d tw o

su pp le m en ta l m ot io ns on rel at ed m at te rs

. In h is m ot io ns , Gater arg ue d t ha t Offi cer Su ll iv an om it te d from hi s af fid av it ne ga ti ve in fo rm at io n a bo ut th e two co nf id en ti al

so ur ces th at wou ld ha ve un de rm in ed th e rel ia bi li ty of th ei r st at em en ts

. Gate r cl ai m ed
th at if it ha d in cl ud ed th e o m it te d in fo rm at io n, th en th e affi da vi t wou ld no t ha ve

su pp or te d a fin di ng of p ro ba bl e cau se

.

A m ag is tra te jud ge he ld a he ari ng at whi ch S u l l i v a n te st ifi ed , b ut ap pa ren tl y di d no t co ns id er i t a “

Fra nk s he ari ng ,” an d sa id th at su ch a he ari ng was no t

warra nt ed

. Se e R. Doc

. 57
, at 25

. The jud ge th e n r e c o mm e n d ed de ni al of Gate r’s

m ot io n to su pp res s. The jud ge fo un d no ev id en ce th at Su ll iv a n o mi tt ed th e in fo rm at io n wit h th e in te nt to m ak e th e affi da vi t m is le ad in g, or in reck le ss di sr eg ard
of th e fact th at it wou ld do so

. The jud ge al so co nc lu de d th at in cl ud in g t he om it te d
fact s in Su ll iv an ’s affi da vi t wou ld no t ha ve pr ev en te d th e is su in g jud ge fro m fin di ng
pr ob ab le cau se to sea rch . The d is tri ct co ur t ad op te d t he reco m m en da ti on

.

A few da y s be fo re tri al
, th e go ve r n men t se nt Gate r a m em or an du m th at

pr ov id ed in fo rm at io n ab ou t th e s e c o n d co nf id en ti al so ur ce, who was sc he du le d to

te st ify at tri al

. The m em or an du m ex pl ai ne d th at th e so ur ce was pa id s i x

- h u n dr ed
do ll ars fo r th e in fo rm at io n th at sh e pr ov id ed on Decem be r 16

. The go ve rn m en t al so di sc lo se d th at th e so ur ce ha d a hi st or y of us in g c on tro ll ed su bs ta nc es an d ha d be en

co nv ic te d o f se ve ral m is de m ean or s.

On th e da y of tri al
, th e di st ric t co ur t gr an te d Gate r a co nt in ui ng ob jecti on to th e de n i a l o f hi s su pp res si on m ot io n. A jury ul ti m at el y co nv ic te d Gate r of po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e co cai ne ba se , an d th e di st ric t co ur t im po se d se nt en ce. Gate r
ap pe al s, arg ui ng th at he sh ou ld ha ve be en gr an te d a he ari ng on hi s cl ai m th at Su ll iv an

om it te d m at eri al in fo rm at io n fro m hi s affi da vi t. W e rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t’s de ni al
of th e he ari ng fo r ab us e of di sc ret io n. Uni te d St at es v. Sh oc kl ey , 81 6 F.3 d 10 58
, 10 61 (8 th Cir . 20 16 ).

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-II.

In Fra nk s v. Dela wa re , 4 3 8 U.S. 15 4 (1 97 8)
, th e Co ur t he ld th at “ whe re th e de fen da nt m ak es a su bs ta nt ia l pr el im in ary sh owi ng th at a fal se st at em en t kn owi ng ly

an d in te nt io na ll y , or wit h reck le ss di sr eg ard fo r th e tru th
, was in cl ud ed by th e affi an t in th e warra nt affi da vi t, an d if th e al le ge dl y fal se st at em en t is ne ces sa ry to th e fin di ng of pr ob ab le cau se ,” a he ari ng m us t be he ld at th e de fen da nt ’s req ue st

. Id

. at 15 5- 56

. Gate r do es no t al le ge th at O ffi cer Su ll iv an m ad e a fal se st at em en t. Thi s co ur t, ho wev er, h as ex te nd ed Fra nk s to al lo w ch al le ng es to affi da vi ts ba se d o n d el ib erat e

or reck le ss om is si on s. Uni te d St at es v. Reiv ic h
, 79 3 F.2 d 95 7, 96 0- 61 (8 th Ci r. 19 86 ).
Oth ers ha ve fo ll owe d Reiv ic h , wh il e no ti ng th at th e ex te ns io n of Fra n k s t o al le ge d

om is si on s “ po te nt ia ll y op en s of fic ers to en dl es s co njec tu re ab ou t in ve st ig at iv e le ad s, frag m en ts of in fo rm at io n, or ot he r m at te r th at m ig ht
, if in cl ud ed
, ha ve red ou nd ed to de fen da nt ’s be ne fit .” Uni te d St at es v. Co lk le y , 89 9 F.2 d 29 7, 30 0- 01 (4 th Ci r. 19 90 );

se e Uni te d St at es v. Fow le r , 53 5 F.3 d 40 8, 41 5- 16 (6 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (ap pl y in g a “ hi gh er ba r” fo r ob ta in in g a he ari ng ba se d on an al le ge dl y m at eri al om is si on be cau se of th e

“ po te nt ia l fo r en dl es s ro un ds of Fra nk s he ari ng s” ). Gate r rel ie s on th is ex te ns io n of
Fra nk s an d co nt en ds th at Su ll iv an om it te d in fo rm at io n th at wou ld ha ve un de rm in ed
th e rel ia bi li ty of a co nf

id en ti al so ur ce.

Und er ou r de ci si on s, th e Fo ur th Am en dm en t r eq ui res a he ari ng whe re th e de fen da nt m ak es a su bs ta nt ia l pr el im in ary sh owi ng th at (1 ) th e affi an t om it te d fact s wit h th e in te nt to m is le ad th e is su in g jud ge , or om it te d th e fact s in reck le ss di sr eg ard
of th e fact th at th e om is si on s wou l d mi s l e a d
, an d (2 ) th e affi da vi t, if su pp le m en te d by t he om it te d in fo rm at io n, co ul d no t su pp or t a fin di ng of pr ob ab le cau se

. Uni te d
St at es v. Co na nt , 79 9 F.3 d 11 95
, 12 00 (8 th Ci r. 20 15 ). Gate r fo cu se s ex cl us iv el y on S u ll iv an ’s al le ge d om is si on of in fo rm at io n ab ou t th e se co nd co nf id en ti al so u r c e

. Gate r arg ue s th at Su ll iv an reck le ss ly om it te d th at th e so ur ce ha d a hi st or y of dr ug us e, ha d re cen tl y

us ed dru gs , and was p ai d fo r in fo rm at io n a bo ut Gate r.

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-The di st ric t co ur t fo un d “ no ev id en c e to su pp or t th at TFO Su ll iv an in te nd ed

to om it fact s to m ak e th e affi da vi t m is le ad in g, or th at he di d so in reck le ss di sr eg ard

o f m ak in g th e affi da vi t m is le ad in g.” W e se e no erro r in th is co nc lu si on

. S u l l i v a n in fo rm ed th e is su in g judg e th at th e so ur ce h ad pro vi de d i nf or m at io n fo r th ree y ears ab ou t pe rs on s se ll in g na rco ti cs , ha d pa rti ci pa te d in co nt ro ll ed pu rch as es of dr ug s fo r la w e nf or cem en t, an d ha d vi si te d Gate r’s res id en ce se ve ral ti m es wit h ot he rs whi le
th ey pu rch as ed dr ug s. Su ll iv an pr es um ab ly th ou gh t th e is su in g jud ge na tur al ly wou ld
i n f er th at a co nf

id en ti al so ur ce wit h th at ba ck gr ou nd m us t ha ve a hi st or y o f
in vo lv em en t wit h il le ga l dr ug s. As th e di st ric t co ur t ob se rv ed
, “ it is of te n pe op le
in vo lv ed in cri m in al act iv it ie s th em se lv es th at ha ve th e m os t kn owl ed ge ab ou t ot he r cri m in al act iv it ie s, [s o] it is no su rp ris e th at m os t co nf id en ti al in fo rm an ts are en ga ge d
in so m e so rt of cri m in al act iv it y .” R. Doc

. 57
, at 24 (q uo ti ng Fow le r , 53 5 F.3 d at 41 6 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s an d c it at io n o m it te d) ).

W e al so ag ree wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at Gate r m ad e no su bs ta nt ia l pr el im in ary sh owi ng th at in cl ud in g m or e in fo rm at io n ab ou t th e co nf id en ti al so ur ce wo ul d h av e
pr ecl ud ed a de te rm in at io n of pr ob ab le cau se to se arch Gate r’s ho us e. Pro ba bl e cau se

ex is ts whe n th ere is a fai r pr ob ab il it y th at co nt rab an d or ev id en ce of a cri m e wil l be
fo un d in a pa rti cu la r pl ace. Ill in oi s v. Gat es , 46 2 U.S. 21 3, 23 8 (1 98 3)

. As wit h an y wit ne ss , dr ug us e or co mp e n s at io n m ig ht be us ed to im pe ach cred ib il it y , bu t th es e f a c t o r s do no t ne ces sa ril y es ta bl is h th at th e so ur ce’s in fo rm at io n is un rel ia bl e. Se e Uni te d St at es v. Sc ot t , 61 0 F.3 d 10 09
, 10 15 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ); Uni te d St at es v. W il li ams , 47 7 F .3d 55 4, 5 58 (8t h C ir. 2 00 7)

.

Here, th e affi da vi t in cl ud ed in fo rm at io n th at co rro bo rat ed th e so ur ce’s

st at em en ts ab ou t Gate r. Law en fo rcem en t ha d rece iv ed in fo rm at io n fo r m on th s th at
Gate r a n d hi s as so ci at es were ob ta in in g la rg e qu an ti ti es of co cai ne an d m ari juan a fro m Cal ifo rn ia an d di st rib ut in g th e dr ug s in th e Si ke st on area

. Ano th er co nf id en ti al

so ur ce rece nt ly sa w Gate r di st rib ut in g na rco ti cs in Si ke st on

. Su ll iv an ex pl ai ne d th at th e ch al le ng ed so ur ce ha d a tra c k reco rd of pr ov id in g rel ia bl e in fo rm at io n to la w

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-en fo rcem en t th at le d to st at e an d fed eral pr os ecu ti on s. Dis cl os in g ex pl ic it ly th at th e

so ur ce ha d a hi st or y of dr

ug us e an d th at po li ce pa id th e so ur ce fo r in fo rm at io n wou ld

no t h av e p rev en te d t he is su in g ju dg e fro m fin di ng pr ob ab le cau se to sea rch Gate r’s
ho us e.

* * *

The jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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