2009 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 4-28-2009 

# U SA v . D el V alle P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 07-3695

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w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009/1470NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT N o. 07- 3695

UNI TE D ST ATE S OF AM ERI CA

v. J OSE D EL VA LLE, A ppel l ant

O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt f o r th e E a ste rn D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia ( D . C . C r i m . N o. 06- cr - 00667- 1) D istri ct Ju d g e: H o n . H arv eyB artl e, II I

Subm i t t ed U nderT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

A pr i l 24, 2009 B efor e: SC I R I C A , C hi ef J udge, SL O V I T E R and FI SH E R , C i r cui tJ udges ( Fi l ed: A pr i l 28, 2009)

OP I NI ON2

SL O V I T E R , C i r cui tJ udge. J o s e D e l V a l l e a p p e a l s th e D i s tr i c tC o u r t ’ s d e n i a l o f h i s m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s . We wi l l a f f i r m. I. In e a rlyO c to b e r 2 0 0 6 , D E A a g e n ts b e g a n c o n d u c tin g su rv e ill a n c e o f a h o u se in P a lis a d e s P a rk , N e w J e rs e y , b a s e d o n in f o rm a tio n re c e iv e d f

ro m a n u n s p e c if

ie d s o u rc e . O n O ct ober18, 2006, agent s fol l ow ed a r ed pi ckup truck w i th I l l i noi s pl at es fr om the P a lisa d e s P a rk h o u se to th e p a rk in g lo t o f a L o w e ’s h o m e im p ro v e m e n t sto re in Phi l adel phi a. T he dr i ve t ook appr oxi m at el yone hourand tw enty - fi ve mi nut es al though th e r e w e r e o th e rL o w e ’ s s t o r e s l o c a t e d a l o n g th e w a y. A fter the d ri v er p ark ed an d en tered L o w e’s, a b lack sp o rtu ti li tyv eh icl e (“ S U V ”), d riv e n b ya m a n late r id e n tifie d a s D e l V a lle, p u lled u p n e x t to th e re d p ick u p . D e l V a lle exi t ed hi s vehi cl e and e nt er ed the r ed pi ckup as i t s dr i ver , w hi l e the pas s engerof the bl ack SU V t ook overas i t s dr i ver . T he age nt s fol l ow ed D el V al l e i n the r ed pi ckup t o a g a te d lo t in N o rt h P h ila d e lp h ia , w h e re th e S U V (n o w u n o c c u p ie d ) w a s a lr e a d yp a rk e d . D el V al l e, w ho ent er ed the l oti n t he r ed pi ckup, di s appea r ed fr om vi ew , and depa r t ed fi ft een mi nut es l at er . T he dr i verof the bl ack SU V l ocked the gat e and f ol l ow ed the r ed pi ckup bac k t o t he Low e’ s parki ng l ot , and D el V al l e parked the r ed pi ckup w her e he ha d or i gi nal l yfound i t . H e then ent er ed the bl ack SU V , w hi ch dr ove aw ay . T he or i gi nal d riv e r o f th e re d p ick u p so o n e x ited L o w e ’s, c a rry in g n o sh o p p in g b a g s. A p p ro x im a telyA f ter th e re d p ick u p w a s se ize d , ag e n ts d e ter m in e d th a t it 1 w as the s ame ve hi cl e they fol l ow ed t o Phi l adel phi a on O ct ober18, 2006, bym at chi ng t he vehi cl e i dent i fi cat i on num ber s fr om the I l l i noi s and N ew Y or k r egi s tr at i on document at i on. 3 an hourhad el aps ed s i nce he ent er ed the s t or e. T he age nt s then fol l ow ed the r ed pi ckup back t o Pal i s ades Par k. T err ance M cC abe, a D E A agentw i th fi ft een y ear s i n l aw enfor cement( fi ve of
w hi ch w er e w i th t he D E A T as k For ce) , w as one of the age nt s w ho fol l ow ed the r ed pi ckup thatday . B as ed on hi s obs ervat i ons and expe r i ence , M cC abe be l i eved thathe had
w itn esse d “a v eh icl e d rop fo r a n arc o ti cs tran sac ti o n , ” a p p . at 61 , in w h ich th e m en “w ere dr oppi ng th[e] vehi cl e, ei therw i th nar cot i cs i n i torw i th m oneyi n i torvi ce ve r s a, ” app. at57. W i thi n t he nextfew day s , the age nt s i dent i fi ed D el V al l e fr om a D M V phot ogr aph and l earned fr om ot herfede r al agent s thathe had be en arr es t ed fordrugs , w as the s ubj ect of an ongoi ng i nves t i gat i on, and “w as know n t o be a da nger ous i ndi vi dual [w ho] s om et i m es carr i ed a w eapon. ” A pp. at178. O n O ct ober29, 2006, D E A agent s fol l ow ed w hatappea r ed t o be the s ame r ed p i c k u p ( n o w wi th Ne w Yo r k l i c e n s e p l a t e s a n d d r i v e n b ya d i f f e r e n tma n ) , t o th e s a me s hoppi ng cent eri n Phi l adel phi a. T he dr i verent er ed a W al m arts t or e, and s oon ther eaf t er 1 D el V al l e and hi s co- defe ndant , H erm i ni o G al i ndez, arr i ved i n w hatappea r ed t o be the s ame bl ack SU V thatD el V al l e had dr i ven on O ct ober18, 2006. D el V al l e ent er ed the4

dr i ver ’ s s i de of the r ed pi ckup, and G al i ndez, w ho w as carry i ng a bl ack duf fl e bag, ent er ed the pas s enger ’ s s i de. A g e n t M c C a b e a n d A g e n t Jo se C o rre a w e re a m o n g th e a g e n ts f o llo w in g D e l V a lle and G al i nd ez on this occasi on . A gen tC orr ea had app roxi m at el yt en y ears exp eri ence a s a D E A ag en t, as w ell as e x p erien ce in the n arc o ti cs d ivisi o n o f th e P assa ic C o u n tyS h eriff ’s O ffi ce. T he age nt s fol l ow ed D el V al l e as he dr ove thr ough a r es i dent i al nei ghborhood for appr oxi m at el ytw entym i nut es i n a mannerthatl ed A gent s M cC abe a nd C orr ea t o bel i eve th a t D e l V a lle w a s e m p lo y in g th e c o u n te r- s u rv e illa n c e te c h n iq u e o f “ s q u a ri n g th e b lo c k s ,” a p p . at 7 4 , 1 4 8 , w h ich is u se d to d e ter m in e if a v e h icle is b e in g f

o llo w e d . A t o n e p o in t, D el V al l e pul l ed overand G al i ndez c l i m bed i nt o the vehi cl e’ s ext ended c abi n w i th the bl ack duf

fl e bag. T hi s act i vi tyl ed the age nt s t o s us pectthatthe pi ckup had a s ecr et compar t m ent . A ft erD el V al l e bega n dr i vi ng agai n, he cont i nued t o s quar e the bl ocks befor e maki ng an abruptturn t hatcaus ed the age nt s t o s us pectthathe now r eal i zed he w as bei ng fol l ow ed. T he ag ents then st op ped the red p i cku p, blocki ng i ti n o n either end w i th thei r car s, and or der ed the men t o exi tthe vehi cl e. W hen G al i ndez w as r emoved fr om the ext ended cabi n, A gentM cC abe s aw an open bl ack duf fl e bag c ont ai ni ng w hathe i dent i fi ed as ki l ogr ams of coc ai ne, as w el l as an open “ hi dden compar t m ent . ” A pp. at78. W hen D el V al l e exi t ed the vehi cl e, he as ked A gentC orr ea, w i thoutpr om pt i ng, “j us tt el l m e w ho gave me up?” A pp. at367. T he age nt s r ecove r ed a t ot al of appr oxi m at el ytw enty - fourT h e D is tr ic t C o u rt h a d ju ri s d i c tio n u n d e r 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 3231 and w e have j ur i s di ct i on under 28 U . S. C . § 1291. W e r evi ew the D i s tr i ctC our t ’ s deni al of a mot i on t o s uppr es s forcl earerr oras 5 ki l ogr ams of coc ai ne and $22, 000 i n cas h. A ft erD el V al l e and G al i ndez w er e arr es t ed, G al i nd ez w ai ved his Mi r anda r i ght s and s ai d i n Spani s h, “Y ou gotm e w i th 24 ki l os , w hat el s e i s ther e t o s ay ?” A pp. at379. D el V al l e w as char ged w i th cons pi r acyt o pos s es s , w i th the i nt entt o di s tr i but e, fi ve ki l ogr ams orm or e of c ocai ne i n vi ol at i on of 21 U . S. C . §§ 841( a) ( 1) , ( b) ( 1) ( A ) , and 846; pos s es s i on, w i th the i nt entt o di s tr i but e, fi ve ki l ogr ams orm or e of c ocai ne i n vi ol at i on of 21 U . S. C . §§ 841( a) ( 1) , ( b) ( 1) ( A ) ; and ai di ng and abe t t i ng the pos s es s i on of fi ve ki l ogr ams orm or e of c ocai ne i n vi ol at i on of 21 U . S. C . §§ 841( a) ( 1) , ( b) ( 1) ( A ) and 18 U . S. C . § 2. T he D i s tr i ctC our tdeni ed D el V al l e’ s m ot i on t o s uppr es s the phy s i cal evi dence and th e sta tem e n ts re su lti n g f ro m th e sto p o f

th e re d p ick u p . A ju ryc o n v icte d h im o f a ll char ges . B eca us e D el V al l e had tw o pr i orconvi ct i ons forfel onydrug offe ns es , he w as s ent ence d t o l i fe i m pr i s onm ent , as s t atut or i l ym andat ed by21 U . S. C . § 841( b) ( 1) ( A ) . D el V al l e app eal s the D i stri ctC ou rt ’s den i al of h i s m oti on t o sup press . II. W i thoutchal l engi ng anyof the D i s tr i ctC our t ’ s fac tual fi ndi ngs , D el V al l e ar gues thathi s m ot i on t o s uppr es s s houl d have be en gr ant ed bec aus e the vehi cl e s t op di d not co m p o rtw ith the F o u rth A m en d m en t. U n d er Ter r y v. O hi o, “an of

fi cerm ay , cons i s t ent 2t o the under l y i ng fac tual fi ndi ngs and exe r ci s e pl enaryr evi ew over th e C o u rt ’s a p p lic a tio n o f la w to th o s e f

a c ts . U n it ed Stat es v. P er ez , 2 8 0 F . 3 d 3 1 8 , 3 3 6 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 2 ). 6 w i th the Fo urth A m end m ent, con du cta bri ef, i nv est i gatoryst op w hen the o ffi cer has a r eas onabl e, art i cul abl e s us pi ci on thatcr i m i nal act i vi tyi s afoot . ” I l l i nois v. W

ar dl ow , 528 U . S. 119, 123 ( 2000) ( ci t i ng T e rr y v . O h io , 3 9 2 U .S . 1 , 3 0 (1 9 6 8 )). “ [ R ]e a so n a b le s us pi ci on can be es t abl i s hed w i th i nform at i on thati s di ffe r enti n quant i tyorcont entt han th a t re q u ire d to e sta b lish p ro b a b le c a u se , b u t als o . . . ca n a rise f ro m in f o rm a tio n th a t is l es s r el i abl e than thatr equi r ed t o s how pr obabl e ca us e. ” A la b a m a v . W h ite , 496 U . S. 325, 3 3 0 (1 9 9 0 ). “[ C ]o u rts a re n o t to e v a lu a te f a c to rs in iso latio n , b u t ar e in ste a d to e v a lu a te the t ot al i tyof the ci r cumst ance s . ” U ni t ed Stat es v. N

el s on , 2 8 4 F . 3 d 4 7 2 , 4 7 5 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 2 ). H o w e v e r, “to rise to a re a so n a b le s u sp icio n , the se f a c to rs c o m b in e d m u st ‘e lim in a te a s ubs t ant i al por t i on of i nnocenttr avel er s ’ ordes cr i be ‘ behavi ori n w hi ch fe w i nnocent peopl e w oul d engage . ’ ” U n itedS ta tes v . M

a th u rin , — F . 3 d — , N o . 0 7 - 4 5 7 6 , 2 0 0 9 WL 792462, at*8 ( 3d C i r . 2009) ( quot i ng Kar nes v. Skr ut s ki , 6 2 F . 3 d 4 8 5 , 4 9 3 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 5 )); s ee al

s o N el s on , 2 8 4 F .3 d a t 4 8 0 (“ [ A ]c ts th a t in iso latio n m a yb e ‘in n o c e n t in itse lf’ o r a t lea st s u sc e p tib le to a n in n o c e n t in terp re tatio n , m a yc o llec tiv e lya m o u n t to r eas onabl e s us pi ci on. ” ( quot i ng U nited S tates v. A rvi

zu , 5 3 4 U .S . 2 2 6 , 2 7 4 (2 0 0 2 )) . “[C]ourt s ar e . . . t o aff

or d t o offi cer s the opportuni tyt o ‘ dr aw on thei row n exper i ence and s peci al i zed tr ai ni ng t o m ake i nfer ence s fr om and deduc t i ons aboutthe cumul at i vei nform at i on avai l abl e t o them t hat“mi ghtw el l el ude an untr ai ned per s on. ”’ ” N el s on , 284 F. 3d at475 ( quot i ng A rvi zu , 5 3 4 U . S . at 27 3 ). H er e, the fa ct s w er e s uffi ci entt o es t abl i s h r eas onabl e s us pi ci on beca us e “w hen vi ew ed col l ect i vel yand i n l i ghtof the age nt s ’ exper i ence and tr ai ni ng, theyamount ed t o a part i cul ar i zed a nd obj ect i ve bas i s fors us pect i ng [D el V al l e and hi s co- defe ndant G al i ndez] of cr i m i nal act i vi tyw hen the age nt s s t opped the [pi ckup] . ” M a th u rin , 2 0 0 9 WL 792462, at*8. III . Forthe above - s t at ed r eas ons , w e w i l l aff i r m the j udgm entand s ent ence of the D istric t C o u rt.

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