IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 09-10133

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

LONNIE OLIVER, JR., also known as Jay,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeals from the United States District Court

for the Northern District of Texas

Before GARZA and BENAVIDES, Circuit Judges, and CRONE, District Judge.

CRONE , District Judge:

1

Appellant Lonnie Oliver, Jr. (“Oliver”) appeals his convictions and the

sentences imposed upon his pleas of guilty to aiding and abetting mail fraud and

aggravated identity theft. Pursuant to a conditional plea agreement, he appeals

the denial of his motion to suppress and also challenges the voluntariness of his

appeal waiver and plea. Finally, Oliver challenges the factual basis supporting

his aggravated identity theft conviction.

I. Background

On December 12, 2007, Oliver was indicted for his participation in a

scheme in which he and several co-defendants gained access to others’ names,

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

F I L E D

January 6, 2011

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 District Judge of the Eastern District of Texas, sitting by designation. 1

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social security numbers, and other identifiers and used this information to file

for and receive unemployment benefits from the Texas Workforce Commission.

The Second Superseding Indictment charged Oliver with ten counts of

conspiracy to commit mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, mail fraud and

aiding and abetting in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 2, aggravated identity

theft and aiding and abetting in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028A(a)(1) and (2),

and theft of federal public money in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641.

On March 4, 2008, Oliver, through counsel, moved to suppress evidence he

contends was unconstitutionally obtained. Specifically, Oliver asserted that

federal agents illegally searched the contents of a cardboard box and seized a

laptop computer that were turned over to them by his girlfriend. He also sought

to suppress incriminating statements he made to federal agents during custodial

interrogation, maintaining that the statements were made involuntarily in

violation of the Fifth Amendment.

On November 14, 2007, Postal Inspector Marcus Ewing (“Ewing”), along

with Department of Labor Agents Steven Grell (“Grell”) and Frank Archie

(“Archie”), arrested Oliver near his home pursuant to an arrest warrant obtained

in connection with the unemployment benefits scheme investigation. Oliver

allowed the agents to take him back to his residence and talk with him. Agents

Ewing and Grell asked Oliver if he wanted to answer questions, and he

responded affirmatively. Before any questioning commenced, however, Agent

Ewing advised Oliver of his Miranda rights and presented him with two forms:

one acknowledging that he understood his rights and one waiving those rights.

Oliver signed the form acknowledging that he understood his rights, but he

refused to sign the waiver form. Nevertheless, Oliver stated that he wished to

answer the agents’ questions. Thereafter, Oliver confessed to his role in the

scheme. Oliver also consented to a search of his car, but he declined to consent

to a search of his home. During the interview (which lasted between an hour

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and a half and two hours), Oliver never asked for an attorney and never refused

to speak with agents. Part way through the interview, Agent Archie arrived and

asked Oliver how he was being treated. Oliver responded that the agents were

treating him respectfully.

Following Oliver’s arrest, federal agents learned from Oliver’s

co-defendant, Albert Henson, Jr. (“Henson”), that Oliver stored a laptop

computer and a cardboard box containing documents and debit/credit cards

related to the scheme at the apartment of Oliver’s girlfriend, Erica Armstrong

(“Armstrong”). Acting on this information, Agent Heather McReynolds

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(“McReynolds”) and another agent went to the apartment, where Armstrong

gave her the box and the laptop computer.

At the suppression hearing, Armstrong stated she observed Oliver—who

told her he worked from home—using a laptop and a notebook. According to

Armstrong, she first became aware of Oliver’s cardboard box when, before

traveling out of town, he informed her that he had left it in her apartment under

her bed. Armstrong testified that, at that time, although the box was not taped,

Oliver cautioned her not to “mess with” or “touch” the box. Subsequently,

Armstrong noticed that he had moved the box from underneath her bed into the

dining room. After Oliver had not been in contact with Armstrong for several

days, she looked through the box for information to contact him. In the box,

Armstrong found a notebook, a ziplock bag containing credit cards, a white

envelope containing identification cards, and other loose paperwork resembling

tax documents. Later that day, Agent McReynolds arrived at her apartment

inquiring about Oliver. Armstrong did not reveal, and federal authorities were

unaware, that Armstrong had already searched the box when she handed it over

to McReynolds and agents subsequently examined its contents. According to the

Documents from the district court spell Armstrong’s first name as “Erika,” but the 2

appellate briefs spell it “Erica.”

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affidavit in support of the warrant to search the laptop computer, filed after its

seizure, the box contained “hundreds of personal identifiers, including names,

dates of birth, and social security numbers.” The affidavit further stated that

most of the identities used to file benefits claims were inside the box and that

the box also contained “sixteen debit cards in the names of victims identified in

[the] case.” Agents also searched the pockets of various articles of clothing that

Oliver had left at Armstrong’s apartment and retrieved a piece of paper with

handwriting on it.

On April 25, 2008, the district court denied Oliver’s motion to suppress.

The district court held that Oliver’s refusal to sign the waiver was insufficient

to establish that his statements were involuntary, reasoning that Oliver

manifested an intent to waive his Fifth Amendment rights by his conduct. With

regard to the search of the cardboard box, the district court determined that the

search was permissible under the private search doctrine, reasoning that the

agents’s subsequent search of the box did not exceed the scope of Armstrong’s

private search and, thus, it did not violate Oliver’s Fourth Amendment rights.

The court also held that, even if the initial seizure of the laptop was unlawful,

the government’s subsequent seizure and search of the laptop were

constitutional under the independent source doctrine.

On May 2, 2008, Oliver’s court-appointed counsel moved to withdraw,

stating that an antagonistic relationship had developed between him and Oliver.

Oliver twice confirmed that the relationship with his lawyer had broken down;

first, in a motion for dismissal of his attorney and, again, in a “Second Judicial

Notice” complaining of his attorney’s performance. The district court granted

the motion and appointed Oliver a new attorney. Subsequently, Oliver moved

to proceed pro se, and Oliver’s attorney also filed a separate motion explaining

that Oliver wished to represent himself with standby counsel. After holding a

hearing, the court allowed Oliver to proceed pro se with standby counsel.

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In the weeks leading up to the scheduled trial date of July 14, 2008, Oliver

filed over thirty pro se motions, including two nearly identical motions to

reconsider the denial of the motion to suppress, which were filed on July 9, 2008,

three business days before trial was set to begin and four months after the

pretrial motions deadline had passed. In his motion to reconsider, Oliver

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asserted that newly discovered computer records revealed that federal agents

accessed the data on the laptop computer before they secured a warrant. He also

argued, for the first time, that the search of the pockets of his clothing at

Armstrong’s home was unconstitutional. Further, Oliver contended that the

district court misapplied the private search doctrine and reasserted his

argument that he did not waive his Fifth Amendment rights before making

incriminating statements to agents after his arrest.

At the pretrial conference held on July 11, 2008, Agent McReynolds

testified that, while handling the computer, she inadvertently switched it out of

the “sleep” mode and later turned it off. Daryl Ford (“Ford”), a postal inspector

responsible for analyzing digital evidence, testified that the laptop’s log was

consistent with McReynolds’s account and did not reflect that any document files

or other information stored on the computer were accessed before the warrant

was secured. The district court orally denied Oliver’s motion to reconsider and

indicated that a written ruling was forthcoming.

On July 14, 2008, the day trial was set to begin, Oliver entered into a

conditional plea agreement with the government. Oliver pleaded guilty to one

count of aiding and abetting mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity

theft while reserving the right to appeal the denial of his motion to suppress.

At the rearraignment hearing, the government stated that the plea

agreement would allow Oliver to appeal both the district court’s denial of the

 For simplicity, this opinion refers to Oliver’s two motions for reconsideration as one 3

motion for reconsideration.

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motion to reconsider and the motion to suppress. Oliver confirmed this was his

understanding, as well. The court then proceeded to the plea colloquy, during

which Oliver represented himself, with standby counsel at his side. The judge

again discussed the appeal waiver contained in the plea agreement and the

factual basis underlying the plea. Oliver indicated that he understood and

entered a plea of guilty, which the district court accepted.

Subsequently, the district court issued a memorandum and order denying

Oliver’s motion to reconsider the motion to suppress, crediting Ford’s testimony

at the pretrial conference and concluding that the government did not conduct

a search of the laptop computer before it obtained a search warrant. The district

court also found that Oliver waived his right to challenge the search of his

clothes pockets because he waited until the week before trial to raise the issue.

Finally,the court again rejected Oliver’s arguments regarding the private search

doctrine and the incriminating statements made to authorities after his arrest.

Before sentencing, on November 13, 2008, Oliver moved to reassert his

right to counsel, asking that standby counsel be dismissed and a different

attorney appointed to represent him. A week later, the district court granted the

motion, and a new lawyer was appointed to represent Oliver at sentencing. At

sentencing, the district court ruled on the myriad objections to the presentence

report raised by Oliver. Ultimately, the district court determined that Oliver’s

offense level was 23—which included increases for being an organizer or leader

of the scheme and for an intended loss in excess of $400,000—and that his

criminal history category was VI, resulting in a guidelines imprisonment range

of 92 to 115 months. After considering all of the factors contained in 18 U.S.C.

§ 3553(a), the judge sentenced Oliver to prison terms of 115 months on the mail

fraud count and 24 months on the identity theft count, to be served

consecutively.

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Following his sentencing, Oliver filed a litany of post-conviction motions,

including a motion to reinstate his appeal rights, which was based on claims of

ineffective assistance by his standby counsel and the involuntariness of his

guilty plea and appeal waiver. The district court denied the motion, and this

appeal followed.

II. Discussion

A. Suppression Motions

This court reviews factual findings, including credibility determinations,

for clear error and legal conclusions de novo. See United States v. Garcia, 604

F.3d 186, 190 (5th Cir. 2010); see also United States v. Montes, 602 F.3d 381,

384-85 (5th Cir. 2010); United States v. London, 568 F.3d 553, 561 (5th Cir.

2009). “‘A factual finding is not clearly erroneous as long as it is plausible in

light of the record as a whole.’” Montes, 602 F.3d at 384 (quoting United States

v. Jacquinot, 258 F.3d 423, 427 (5th Cir. 2001)). “Where a district court’s denial

of a suppression motion is based on live oral testimony, the clearly erroneous

standard is particularly strong because the judge had the opportunity to observe

the demeanor of the witnesses.” Montes, 602 F.3d at 384; London, 568 F.3d at

561. The evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to the prevailing

party—here, the government. Montes, 602 F.3d at 384-85; London, 568 F.3d at

561.

1. Contents of the Cardboard Box

Oliver argues that the district court improperly denied his motion to

suppress evidence found in the cardboard box left in Armstrong’s apartment,

including a ziplock bag containing credit cards, a white envelope containing

identification cards, a notebook, and some loose paperwork. He contends that

the district court erred in relying on the private search doctrine in upholding the

legitimacy of the search because the private search doctrine is inapplicable

where police are unaware of a prior private search. Oliver also challenges the

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district court’s factual finding that Armstrong searched the box and the plastic

bag it contained. In addition, he maintains that the police search of the

notebook exceeded the scope of the private search.

The Fourth Amendment proscribes “unreasonable searches and seizures.”

U.S. CONST. AMEND. IV; accord Garcia, 604 F.3d at 190; United States v.

Scroggins, 599 F.3d 433, 440 (5th Cir. 2010). But for a few exceptions,

warrantless searches and seizures are “per se unreasonable.” Schneckloth v.

Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 219 (1973) (internal quotation marks omitted). A

search occurs when “an expectation of privacy that society is prepared to

consider reasonable is infringed.” United States v. Jacobsen, 466 U.S. 109, 113

(1984). Assuming, without deciding, that Oliver initially possessed a reasonable

expectation of privacy in the cardboard box and its contents, the district court

did not err in failing to suppress the evidence obtained because a private search

of the box had already occurred. The Fourth Amendment does not protect

against searches conducted by private individuals acting in a private capacity.

Jacobsen, 466 U.S. at 113; United States v. Runyan, 275 F.3d 449, 457 (5th Cir.

2001). Rather, it proscribes only governmental action and is “wholly

inapplicable ‘to a search or seizure, even an unreasonable one, effected by a

private individual not acting as an agent of the Government or with the

participation or knowledge of any government official.’” Jacobsen, 466 U.S. at

113-14 (quoting Walter v. United States, 447 U.S. 649, 662 (1980) (Blackmun, J.,

dissenting)).

Where a private individual examines the contents of a closed container, a

subsequent search of the container by government officials does not constitute

an unlawful search for purposes of the Fourth Amendment as long as the

government search does not exceed the scope of the private search. Jacobson,

466 U.S. at 115; Runyan, 275 F.3d at 460-61. “‘[T]his court has recognized that

a police view subsequent to a search conducted by private citizens does not

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constitute a “search” within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment so long as

the view is confined to the scope and product of the initial search.’” Runyan, 275

F.3d at 458 (quoting United States v. Bomengo, 580 F.2d 173, 175 (5th Cir.

1978)); see United States v. Paige, 136 F.3d 1012, 1019 (5th Cir. 1998); see also

United States v. Miller, 152 F.3d 813, 815 (8th Cir. 1998) (“[T]o be a Fourth

Amendment search, a governmental intrusion must infringe on a legitimate

expectation of privacy. Because a private search frustrates such an expectation

. . . an ensuing police intrusion that stays within the limits of the private search

is not a search for Fourth Amendment purposes.”) (internal citations omitted).

A defendant’s expectation of privacy with respect to an item unopened by the

private searcher is preserved, however, unless the defendant’s expectation of

privacy in the contents of the container has already been frustrated because the

contents were rendered obvious by the private search. Runyan, 275 F.3d at 463-

64. “Language from the Supreme Court’s Jacobsen opinion suggests that the

critical inquiry under the Fourth Amendment is whether the authorities

obtained information with respect to which the defendant’s expectation of

privacy has not already been frustrated. Thus, Jacobsen directs courts to

inquire whether the government learned something from the police search that

it could not have learned from the private searcher’s testimony and, if so,

whether the defendant had a legitimate expectation of privacy in that

information.” Runyan, 275 F.3d at 461 (citing Jacobsen, 466 U.S. 118-20).

When confronted with situations where, as here, the police search items

found within a residence after a private search has already been conducted, a

defendant may retain a reasonable expectation of privacy following the private

search under certain circumstances. Paige, 136 F.3d at 1020. To determine

whether a defendant’s reasonable expectation of privacy survives a private

search, “consideration must be given to whether the activities of the home’s

occupants or the circumstances within the home at the time of the private search

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created a risk of intrusion by the private party that was reasonably foreseeable.”

Id. (emphasis added). “If indeed the private party’s intrusion was reasonably

foreseeable (based on such activities or circumstances), the occupant will no

longer possess a reasonable expectation of privacy in the area or thing searched,

and the subsequent police search will not trigger the Fourth Amendment. If,

however, the private party’s initial intrusion was not reasonably foreseeable, the

occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy will survive, and the subsequent

police search will indeed activate the Fourth Amendment.” Id.

Oliver first argues that the private search doctrine is inapplicable because,

at the time the agents searched the cardboard box, they did not know that

Armstrong had already searched it and, thus, were not aware of the scope of

Armstrong’s search. Oliver points to no case, however, which expressly holds

that police knowledge of a prior private search is necessary. Moreover,

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language from Paige, which focuses on a defendant’s reasonable expectation of

privacy as to the private searcher, indicates that it is the private search itself

that frustrates the privacy expectation: “If indeed the private party’s intrusion

was reasonably foreseeable . . . , the occupant will no longer possess a reasonable

expectation of privacy in the area or thing searched, and the subsequent police

search will not trigger the Fourth Amendment.” Id. Therefore, it is the private

search itself, and not the authorities’ learning of such search, that renders a

police officer’s subsequent warrantless search permissible.

In the present case, it is undisputed that Armstrong and Oliver had a

personal relationship and had been dating for several weeks, although

The court has not located any cases addressing the private search doctrine in which 4

the police were unaware at the time of the police search that a private search had already been

conducted. Admittedly, in most, if not all, cases involving the private search doctrine, the

police are aware that a private search has already been conducted because the police are

summoned when the private searcher discovers suspicious materials. See Jacobsen, 466 U.S.

at 120 n.17. The court recognizes that there is language in Jacobsen suggesting that prior

knowledge of a private search is relevant; however, as stated above, no case expressly requires

such knowledge. 

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Armstrong testified that she did not know Oliver’s last name until she was

informed of it by federal authorities. Oliver sometimes stayed as an overnight

guest in her home and left personal belongings, including the box, in her

apartment. As part of her investigation, McReynolds visited Armstrong at her

apartment to inquire about Oliver and the items he had left in her home. While

the agents were there, Armstrong telephoned Henson’s girlfriend, Bree, who,

according to Armstrong, advised her to “get rid of anything that Lonnie left at

[her] house.” During this visit, Armstrong readily and willingly gave

McReynolds the box, which she had already searched, as it was not locked or

otherwise safeguarded and was left in her dining room. Oliver’s decision to leave

his unsecured cardboard box in an easily accessible and common area of the

apartment for several days without notifying or otherwise communicating his

whereabouts to Armstrong made it reasonably foreseeable that she would

examine his belongings, including the box, to look for a way to contact him.

Given these circumstances, the court finds that the initial private search, which

was reasonably foreseeable, and the searcher’s act, later that day, of voluntarily

giving authorities the box, in which no reasonable expectation of privacy

remained, rendered the subsequent police search permissible under the Fourth

Amendment. This holding, however, is limited to the unique facts of this case

and is not intended to expand significantly the scope of the private search

doctrine.

To the extent that Oliver contends that Armstrong’s testimony that she

searched the box and the plastic bag it contained was unsubstantiated, his

argument fails. The district court legitimately credited Armstrong’s testimony

that she, in fact, searched the box and the bag. This factual finding is supported

by Armstrong’s ability to describe accurately the contents of both the box and the

bag. Because there was support in the record for the district court’s finding, it

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is not clearly erroneous. See United States v. Menchaca-Castruita, 587 F.3d 283,

289 (5th Cir. 2009).

Oliver next takes issue with the district court’s implied conclusion that the

notebook was not a separate, closed container, or at least an object in which

Oliver possessed a reasonable expectation of privacy. Specifically, Oliver argues

that even if the private search doctrine applies to the warrantless search of the

box, it does not apply to the notebook, as Armstrong never searched the

notebook. The government responds that the agents’ search of the notebook did

not exceed the scope of Armstrong’s private search because her search rendered

the contents of the notebook obvious.

Although Armstrong did not conduct a separate search of the notebook, the

government agents’ subsequent search of the notebook was nonetheless lawful,

as its contents were obvious. The words “business ideas” appeared on the front

cover, and a loose sheet of paper revealing a victim’s name and personal

identifying information protruded from the side of the notebook. Oliver does not

contend that this description of the notebook is inaccurate. Based on these

characteristics, and given the agents’ expertise, they could readily ascertain that

the notebook contained Oliver’s notes regarding the fraudulent unemployment

benefits scheme about which Oliver had previously confessed. Because the

notebook’s contents were obvious, agents did not exceed the scope of Armstrong’s

private search.

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2. Laptop Computer

Oliver also objects to the district court’s ruling that the contents of the

laptop computer were admissible under the independent source doctrine.

The court notes that Paige applies only where a subsequent police search does not 5

exceed the scope of the prior private party search. United States v. Barth, 26 F. Supp. 2d 929,

937 (W.D. Tex. 1998). As discussed above, because the subsequent search in this case did not

exceed Armstrong’s search, Oliver’s Fourth Amendment rights were not implicated by a police

review of the notebook. 

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Evidence not obtained as a result of police illegality, but rather through a legal,

independent source, need not be suppressed. United States v. Moore, 329 F.3d

399, 404 (5th Cir. 2003) (citing Murray v. United States, 487 U.S. 533, 537

(1988)). “Under the independent source doctrine, if not even the but for test can

be met [so that the evidence would not have been found but for police illegality],

then clearly the evidence is not a fruit of the prior Fourth Amendment violation.”

Id. (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting 5 Wayne LaFave, SEARCH AND

SEIZURE: A TREATISE ON THE FOURTH AMENDMENT § 11.4(a), at 236 (3d ed.

1996)).

Oliver contends that Agent McReynolds’s affidavit in support of the

warrant relied on evidence that was illegally obtained. Oliver does not

specifically identify the purportedly illegal evidence upon which McReynolds

relied. To the extent Oliver refers to the cardboard box and its contents, his

argument fails because, as explained above, the search of the box was

permissible. To the extent Oliver complains of the original seizure of the laptop,

his argument is similarly unavailing. As correctly noted by the district court,

unlawfully obtained evidence need not be suppressed if officials later reseize the

evidence from a “distinct, untainted source.” See United States v. Grosenheider,

200 F.3d 321, 327 (5th Cir. 2000). Even without mentioning the original seizure

of the laptop, the affidavit contains sufficient information to make the resulting

warrant a distinct, untainted source, permitting agents to reseize and search the

laptop. In her affidavit, McReynolds relies on information provided by Oliver

and Henson, who both admitted to using a laptop computer to submit fraudulent

unemployment claims. McReynolds also states in the affidavit that Henson

revealed the location of the laptop—Armstrong’s apartment. She also recounts

Armstrong’s statements that Oliver used the laptop while looking at documents

later found by federal agents to contain identifying information for various

individuals. In this circumstance, the affidavit contained sufficient independent

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information to make the resulting warrant a distinct, untainted source that

permitted the agents to reseize and search the laptop lawfully.

Oliver also argues that the federal agents were improperly motivated to

seek the warrant by information they obtained through a warrantless search of

the computer on November 21, 2008, the day after it was initially seized. There

is no basis for this assertion in the record. On July 11, 2008, the district court

held a hearing to address computer logs that Oliver argued established that

agents had searched the computer before they received the warrant. Based on

Postal Inspector Ford’s testimony, Oliver’s evidence showed only that the

computer went through normal hibernation and shut down functions before the

date of the warrant. Thus, the district court’s conclusion that no search occurred

is not clearly erroneous. See Menchaca-Castruita, 587 F.3d at 289.

3. Incriminating Statements

In his motion to suppress and motion for reconsideration, Oliver argues

that the incriminating statements he made to federal agents after his arrest

should have been suppressed, as he did not waive his Fifth Amendment rights.

The government counters that, notwithstanding Oliver’s refusal to sign the

waiver-of-rights form, Oliver’s willingness to discuss the scheme with them

indicated that he waived his right to remain silent.

A suspect may waive his Miranda rights “provided the waiver is made

voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently.” Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436,

444 (1966). “For [a] confession to be admissible at trial the government ha[s] to

show that [the defendant] was informed of his Miranda rights and that his

waiver thereof and the resultant confession were the product of a free and

deliberate choice.” United States v. Collins, 40 F.3d 95, 98 (5th Cir. 1994)

(internal quotation marks omitted); see also Berghuis v. Thompkins, ___ U.S.

___, 130 S. Ct. 2250, 2260 (2010); United States v. Chapa-Garza, 62 F.3d 118,

121 (5th Cir. 1995). Whether a defendant has waived his rights under Miranda

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“present[s] a factual question for the district court.” Collins, 40 F.3d at 98-99.

“Such waivers may be direct or, in some instances, they may ‘be clearly inferred

from the actions and words of the person interrogated.’” Id. at 99 (quoting North

Carolina v. Butler, 441 U.S. 369, 373 (1979)). “The mere refusal to sign a

written waiver does not automatically render inadmissible all further

statements made by the defendant.” Chapa-Garza, 62 F.3d at 122 (citing United

States v. McDaniel, 463 F.2d 129, 135 (5th Cir. 1972)); see Berghuis, 130 S. Ct.

at 2262. Indeed, “[a] refusal to sign a waiver may indicate nothing more than

a reluctance to put pen to paper under the circumstance of custody.” McDaniel,

463 F.2d at 135; see Berghuis, 130 S. Ct. at 2264. Moreover, “a suspect who has

received and understood the Miranda warnings, and has not invoked his

Miranda rights, waives the right to remain silent by making an uncoerced

statement to the police.” Berghuis, 130 S. Ct. at 2264. Here, after considering

the circumstances surrounding Oliver’s arrest and interview, we find that the

district court correctly determined that Oliver’s waiver was voluntary despite his

refusal to sign the waiver form given to him by Agent Ewing. See Berghuis, 130

S. Ct. at 2262; Chapa-Garza, 62 F.3d at 122. Ewing gave Oliver a paper copy of

the 1067 warning waiver form and read it aloud as Oliver followed along.

According to Agents Ewing and Grell, Oliver expressly stated that, although he

did not wish to sign the waiver form, he would discuss the fraud scheme. At no

point did Oliver request an attorney. In addition, three different agents (Ewing,

Grell, and Archie) testified that Oliver was articulate, coherent, not under the

influence of alcohol or drugs, and otherwise appeared to know exactly what was

going on. Moreover, as noted by the district court, Oliver clearly understood his

rights, as evidenced by his signing the form explaining them and his extensive

history in the criminal justice system. Further, Oliver was not coerced, as

evidenced by his conduct during the interview and his statement to Agent Archie

that he was being treated respectfully. Because there is ample evidence in the

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record to support the determination that Oliver waived his Fifth Amendment

rights before making incriminating statements, the district court did not clearly

err. See Berghuis, 130 S. Ct. at 2262; Chapa-Garza, 62 F.3d at 122.

4. Clothes Pockets

Oliver next contends that the district court abused its discretion by failing

to consider the merits of his argument that the government violated his Fourth

Amendment rights by searching his clothes pockets without a warrant. A

district court’s denial of an untimely motion to suppress as waived is reviewed

for an abuse of discretion. See United States v. Knezek, 964 F.2d 394, 397 (5th

Cir. 1992). This argument was raised for the first time in Oliver’s motion for

reconsideration, filed on July 8, 2008, one week before the trial setting and over

four months after the March 4, 2008, deadline to file pre-trial motions. The

district court denied the untimely motion, reasoning that Oliver waived any

argument regarding the evidence found in his pockets.

Oliver contends that the late filing does not constitute waiver for two

reasons. First, according to Oliver’s interpretation of the rearraignment

proceeding, the parties and the district court agreed that “the substantive issues

that Mr. Oliver raised in the motion to reconsider would be treated just as the

issue raised in the initial motion to suppress and equally preserved for appeal.”

Second, Oliver asserts that, as a pro se defendant, he lacked sufficient knowledge

of procedure to know when and how to move for reconsideration.

With regard to Oliver’s first argument, a review of the rearraignment

proceeding reveals that the parties and the district court agreed only that Oliver

would be able to appeal the denials of his motions to suppress and for

reconsideration, not the merits of each issue raised. When the hearing opened,

the district court asked whether the parties contemplated that “Mr. Oliver would

have the right to appeal that denial of his motion for reconsideration” and

whether “the court’s reasoning in denying the motion for reconsideration would

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also be available to the government in defending the court’s position or ruling.”

The government agreed that Oliver could appeal the ruling, explaining that the

right to appeal “would in fact encompass the court’s denial of the motion—the

motion to reconsider that the court considered at the pretrial conference and also

any reasoning that the court might articulate in a written order.” Oliver agreed

that he “would also be able to appeal the denial of the motion for

reconsideration” and that the government could rely on any subsequent written

ruling addressing the motion. Through these exchanges, it is clear that the

government and Oliver agreed that Oliver could appeal the district court’s

decision denying the motion for reconsideration and that the government could

use the district court’s written reasoning to defend its position. It is true, as

Oliver points out, that the government stated that the issues raised in both

motions were “very nearly the same” and that the district court described them

as “arguably intertwined,” but these characterizations, in the context of the

discussion as a whole, do not support Oliver’s conclusion that an issue he first

addressed in his motion for reconsideration should be treated as if he had raised

it months earlier in his original motion.

Oliver’s second argument is also unpersuasive. Rule 12(c) of the Federal

Rules of Criminal Procedure authorizes a district court to set a deadline for the

filing of pretrial motions, including motions to suppress evidence. FED. R. CRIM.

P. 12(c). A defendant waives suppression issues not raised by the district court’s

deadline. FED. R. CRIM. P. 12(e). In the instant case, the district court set a

March 4, 2008, deadline for filing pretrial motions. On June 10, 2008, at the

hearing in which the court granted Oliver permission to proceed pro se, the

district court specifically noted that the deadline for filing pretrial motions had

expired. Nevertheless, on July 9, 2008, only three business days before trial was

set to begin and over four months after the pretrial motions deadline, Oliver

moved for reconsideration of the denial of his motion to suppress. The district

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court refused to consider the merits of Oliver’s argument because of his decision

to ignore the judge’s prior instruction to seek leave of court and to wait until the

eve of trial to file his motion for reconsideration, not because of his lack of

knowledge of procedure. Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its

discretion in concluding that Oliver waived his argument that the paper found

in his clothes pocket should be suppressed. See Knezek, 964 F.2d at 397.

B. Appeal Waiver

Oliver contends that the district court failed to comply with the

requirements of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(b)(1)(N), rendering his

appeal waiver ineffective. Specifically, Oliver complains that the district court’s

description of the appeal waiver was confusing and that the judge failed to

ensure that Oliver understood the terms of the plea agreement, particularly the

exceptions.

Rule 11(b)(1)(N) requires the district court, before accepting a plea of

guilty, to address the defendant personally in open court and to make sure the

defendant understands the terms of any plea agreement provision waiving the

right to appeal or to attack the sentence collaterally. FED. R. CRIM. P.

11(b)(1)(N). Because Oliver did not specifically object to the district court’s plea

colloquy as it pertains to Rule 11(b)(1)(N), this court reviews for plain error.

United States v. Vonn, 535 U.S. 55, 59 (2002); United States v. Reyna, 358 F.3d

344, 354 (5th Cir.) (Jones, J., concurring). The plain error inquiry requires

Oliver to demonstrate that his substantial rights were affected by the district

judge’s alleged failure to explain the terms of the appeal waiver adequately.

United States v. Villegas, 404 F.3d 355, 358 (5th Cir. 2005). When reviewing

under a plain error standard, this “court may consult the whole record when

considering the effect of any error on substantial rights.” Vonn, 535 U.S. at 59.

Moreover, to justify reversal for a district court’s error in a Rule 11

admonishment, the defendant “must show a reasonable probability that, but for

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the error, he would not have entered the plea.” United States v. Dominguez

Benitez, 542 U.S. 74, 83 (2004). In addition, this court may correct a plain error

only if it “seriously affect[s] the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of

judicial proceedings.” United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 732 (1993) (internal

quotation marks omitted).

Here, the district court informed Oliver that he would be permitted to

appeal the denials of the motion to suppress and the motion for reconsideration,

but it stated that Oliver would not be allowed to appeal the denials of the other

motions he filed. In addition, the district court confirmed that Oliver had read

the plea agreement, including the appeal waiver, and explained that the waiver

applied to the right to appeal and to bring a post conviction challenge “except in

very limited circumstances as contained in paragraph 10 and under the limited

circumstances contained in paragraph 2 as orally supplemented and explained

here in this proceeding.” (Paragraph 10 is the general appeal waiver provision,

and paragraph 2 pertains to Oliver’s ability to appeal suppression issues.) When

asked whether he understood the district court’s admonishment in this regard,

Oliver responded that he did. Nevertheless, the district court again asked Oliver

whether he knew “the rights you were giving up when you pled to paragraph 10,”

and Oliver again responded affirmatively. The district court gave Oliver several

opportunities to ask questions, seek clarification, or request further explanation,

but each time he declined. Moreover, Oliver was told at the outset that the

district court would gladly grant any request for additional time. Though the

court did not read the appeal waiver to Oliver (Oliver, in fact, waived reading of

the plea agreement), the district court’s colloquy was sufficient to ensure that

Oliver understood the terms of the waiver. See United States v. Gonzalez, 259

F.3d 355, 358 (5th Cir. 2001). Accordingly, the court perceives no error.

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C. Motion to Reinstate

In a related argument, Oliver challenges the district court’s denial of his

motion to reinstate his right to appeal. As a threshold matter, in his motion,

Oliver did not ask the district court for permission to withdraw his guilty plea

or to void his plea agreement. Rather, he requested the district court to

reinstate his right to appeal, which, in effect, asked the district court to modify

or rewrite the plea agreement.

“‘Plea bargain agreements are contractual in nature, and are to be

construed accordingly.’” United States v. Garcia, 606 F.3d 209, 215 (5th Cir.

2010) (quoting Hentz v. Hargett, 71 F.3d 1169, 1173 (5th Cir. 1996)); United

States v. Story, 439 F.3d 226, 231 (5th Cir. 2006) (“We analyze waivers of appeal

in plea agreements using contract law.”) (citing United States v. Cantu, 185 F.3d

298, 304 (5th Cir. 1999)). “They bind the parties, and, more importantly, the

court, too, is bound once [it] accepts the plea agreement.” Garcia, 606 F.3d at

215 (internal quotation marks omitted). Indeed, once a district court has

accepted a plea agreement, it generally may not later reject or modify it.

McClure v. Ashcroft, 335 F.3d 404, 413 (5th Cir. 2003); see also United States v.

Self, 596 F.3d 245, 249 (5th Cir. 2010) (concluding that a plea agreement under

11(c)(1)(A) may not be accepted or rejected on a piecemeal basis) (citing In re

Morgan, 506 F.3d 705, 709 (9th Cir. 2007)). Consistent with these authorities,

Oliver’s request to reformulate the plea agreement is without merit.

Accordingly, the district court did not err in denying Oliver’s motion.

Oliver also challenges the district court’s denial of his motion to reinstate

his appeal right on the basis that he unknowingly and involuntarily agreed to

the appeal waiver as a result of the alleged ineffective assistance of his standby

counsel. Specifically, Oliver contends that his standby counsel incorrectly

advised him that he would be permitted to appeal “the enhancements that

increase Oliver’s sentence under the arithmetic error provision that has been

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preserved for appellate review.” Because the voluntariness of Oliver’s plea was

raised and rejected in the district court, this issue is reviewed de novo. United

States v. Amaya, 111 F.3d 386, 388 (5th Cir. 1997). “The defendant must know

that he had ‘a right to appeal his sentence and that he was giving up that right.’”

Gonzalez, 259 F.3d at 357 (quoting United States v. Portillo, 18 F.3d 290, 292

(5th Cir. 1994)).

Other than Oliver’s conclusory assertion that his standby counsel advised

him he could appeal his sentences, the record is not sufficiently developed as to

whether Oliver’s standby counsel, in fact, incorrectly told him that he could

appeal his sentence enhancements. Indeed, the district court rejected this

argument, reasoning that “it is questionable whether any attorney would advise

a defendant that the exclusion from an appeal waiver of a claim of ‘an arithmetic

error at sentencing’ would allow the defendant to appeal the sentence (including

the court’s calculation of the advisory guideline range).” As the district court

noted, “[s]uch an exception to the appeal waiver would effectively nullify the

waiver, because the advisory guideline range must always be calculated before

the sentence is determined.” Even if Oliver’s standby counsel erroneously

informed him about his appeal waiver, the record reflects that Oliver was

correctly informed about his appeal waiver both at the plea hearing and in his

written plea agreement, which Oliver signed and testified under oath that he

had read. See Gonzalez, 259 F.3d at 357 (stating that defendant’s “signed plea

agreement informed him of the right to appeal his sentence and that he would

be waiving that right by pleading guilty, except under the circumstances

enumerated”); see also United States v. McKinney, 406 F.3d 744, 746 (5th Cir.

2005) (stating that where “‘the record of the Rule 11 hearing clearly indicates

that a defendant has read and understands his plea agreement, and that he has

raised no question regarding a waiver-of-appeal provision, the defendant will be

held to the bargain to which he agreed, regardless of whether the court

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specifically admonished him concerning the waiver of appeal.’” (quoting Portillo,

18 F.3d at 293); United States v. Vasquez-Garcia, 244 F.3d 136, 136 (5th Cir.

2000) (unpublished table decision) (“‘[R]eliance on the erroneous advice of

counsel relative to the sentence likely to be imposed does not render a guilty plea

unknowing or involuntary.’”) (quoting United States v. Santa Lucia, 991 F.2d

179, 180 (5th Cir. 1993)).

Moreover, as a pro se defendant, Oliver had no constitutional right to

standby counsel. See United States v. Morrison, 153 F.3d 34, 55 (5th Cir. 1998);

United States v. Mikolajczyk, 137 F.3d 237, 246 (5th Cir. 1998); United States v.

Martin, 790 F.2d 1215, 1218 (5th Cir. 1986). “[W]ithout a constitutional right

to standby counsel, a defendant is not entitled to relief for the ineffectiveness of

standby counsel.” Morrison, 153 F.3d at 55. Although Oliver acknowledges that

he had no right to standby counsel, he argues that he proceeded pro se only to

challenge the court’s suppression ruling. According to Oliver, once he raised this

issue, he relied on his standby counsel entirely. The record flatly contradicts

Oliver’s assertions. While proceeding pro se, Oliver filed over thirty motions and

represented himself during jury selection. Although he consulted with standby

counsel during the rearraignment hearing, nothing in the transcript of that

hearing suggests that counsel was acting as Oliver’s lawyer. Rather, Oliver

retained control of his own defense until shortly before sentencing, when he

requested and was appointed new counsel. Because Oliver had no constitutional

right to standby counsel and because Oliver acted as his own counsel while he

was proceeding pro se, he cannot prevail on a claim that standby counsel was

ineffective. See Morrison, 153 F.3d at 55.

In short, none of Oliver’s arguments compel the conclusion that his plea

or the appeal waiver was unknowing or involuntary. The record reveals that

Oliver understood the nature of the charges, was admonished as to the

constitutional rights he was waiving, and was advised of the potential sentences

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he faced. In addition, Oliver confirmed that he was entering a knowing and

voluntary plea that was not the result of threats, undisclosed promises, or “side

deals” not contained in the plea agreement. Every time Oliver was asked if he

understood the court’s admonishments, he answered affirmatively. “Solemn

declarations in open court carry a strong presumption of verity.” Blackledge v.

Allison, 431 U.S. 63, 74 (1977) (“The subsequent presentation of conclusory

allegations unsupported by specifics is subject to summary dismissal, as are

contentions that in the face of the record are wholly incredible.”); United States

v. Washington, 480 F.3d 309, 316 (5th Cir. 2007) (holding that the defendant’s

“statements that his plea was knowing and voluntary and that he understood

the rights he was waiving create a presumption that in fact the plea is valid”)

(internal quotation marks omitted).

In that same vein, the court did not err in failing to hold an evidentiary

hearing to investigate the issue further, as Oliver stated under oath at the

rearraignment hearing that he had read and understood the plea agreement.

See United States v. Cervantes, 132 F.3d 1106, 1111 (5th Cir. 1998) (finding no

error in district court’s refusal to hold an evidentiary hearing on ineffective

assistance of counsel claim where, at rearraignment, the judge reiterated much

of what was set forth in the plea agreement, which the defendant represented

to the court that she read and understood); Clark v. Collins, 19 F.3d 959, 964

(5th Cir. 1994).

Oliver also argues that the waiver of the right to appeal his sentences

violates United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005), because it is over broad.

Without citing any authority, Oliver states that an appeal waiver that prevents

a defendant from challenging his sentence on any ground, including

reasonableness, violates Booker. Contrary to Oliver’s assertion, nothing in

6

Notably, Oliver’s plea agreement does not contain a blanket appeal waiver, as it states 6

that Oliver retains the right (a) to bring a direct appeal of (i) a sentence exceeding the

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Booker prohibits appeal waivers. Furthermore, plea agreements are contracts,

and defendants can contract away the right to appeal their sentences. See Story,

439 F.3d at 231. In any event, Oliver’s sentences of 115 months for Count 5 and

24 months for Count 7 were not in excess of the statutory maximums of 20 years

for Count 5 and 2 years for Count 7.

Oliver challenges his sentences on appeal, contending that the district

court incorrectly calculated the amount of loss and erred in applying the

leadership sentencing enhancement. Because he knowingly and voluntarily

waived the right to appeal his sentences, except in limited circumstances that

do not apply here, and because the government has invoked the waiver

provision, this court will not consider his arguments. See Story, 439 F.3d at

230-31; United States v. Bond, 414 F.3d 542, 544 (5th Cir. 2005).

D. Factual Basis for Identity Theft Conviction

Oliver argues that the government did not establish that he knew that the

names and social security numbers of his victims belonged to real persons.

Oliver failed to object in the district court on these grounds. Therefore, this

court reviews for plain error. See United States v. Castro-Trevino, 464 F.3d 536,

541 (5th Cir. 2006); United States v. Marek, 238 F.3d 310, 315 (5th Cir. 2001) (en

banc).

Before accepting a guilty plea, the district court must determine that the

conduct admitted by the defendant “is sufficient as a matter of law to constitute

a violation of the statute.” Marek, 238 F.3d at 314 (emphasis omitted); FED. R.

CRIM. P. 11(b)(3). The defendant’s admissions are compared with the elements

of the offense. Marek, 238 F.3d at 314-15. “[I]nferences may be ‘fairly drawn’

from the evidence adduced after the acceptance of a guilty plea but before or at

statutory maximum punishment, or (ii) an arithmetic error at sentencing, (b) to challenge the

voluntariness of his plea of guilty or this waiver, and (c) to bring a claim of ineffective

assistance of counsel. 

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sentencing.” United States v. Hildenbrand, 527 F.3d 466, 475 (5th Cir.) (citing

United States v. Dyer, 136 F.3d 417, 425 n.13 (5th Cir. 1998), cert. denied, 129

S. Ct. 437 (2008). As set forth above, when reviewing under a plain error

standard, this court “may consult the whole record when considering the effect

of any error on substantial rights.” Vonn, 535 U.S. at 59.

To establish aggravated identity theft, the government must prove that

Oliver (1) knowingly used (2) the means of identification of another person

(3) without lawful authority (4) during and in relation to a mail fraud offense.

See 18 U.S.C. § 1028A; accord United States v. Stephens, 571 F.3d 401, 404-05

(5th Cir. 2009) (citing Flores-Figueroa v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, 129 S. Ct.

1886, 1888 (2009)).

While nothing in the record explicitly states that Oliver knew his victims

were real persons, the evidence was sufficient for the district court to draw that

inference. See Hildenbrand, 527 F.3d at 475 (citing Dyer, 136 F.3d at 425 n.13).

In the factual basis, Oliver admitted that he “used without lawful authority a

means of identification of another person.” In addition, he admitted that he “did

knowingly use, without lawful authority, the means of identification of another

person, that is, the name, social security account number, and date of birth of

B.P.” One can reasonably infer that the reference to “B.P.” suggests that Oliver

knew that the information he used belonged to a real person bearing the initials

B.P. Moreover, Agent McReynolds testified at sentencing that Henson sent

Oliver text messages containing personal and identifying information of identity

theft victims. Further, the cardboard box that Oliver kept at Armstrong’s

apartment contained identification cards and employment applications with

identifying information as well as a list of names and corresponding social

security numbers that Henson initially obtained while in prison. Nothing in the

record suggests that any of the identities were fabricated; to the contrary,

everything points to the conclusion that Oliver knew that the identities he used

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to effectuate the scheme belonged to actual individuals. Because it can be fairly

inferred that Oliver knowingly and unlawfully possessed or used the means of

identification of real persons, he fails to show that the district court plainly

erred. See Hildenbrand, 527 F.3d at 475; Marek, 238 F.3d at 314-15.

III. Conclusion

Consistent with the foregoing analysis, the district court did not err when

it denied Oliver’s motions to suppress and for reconsideration. In addition,

Oliver entered into the appeal waiver and plea agreement knowingly and

voluntarily. Finally, there exists sufficient evidence supporting Oliver’s

aggravated identity theft conviction.

AFFIRMED.

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No. 09-10133

EMILIO M. GARZA, Circuit Judge, dissenting.

I agree with most of the majority’s opinion. I must dissent, however, from

Part II.A.1, in which the majority states that the warrantless search of the

cardboard box was permissible under the private search doctrine. Our case law

indicates that the private search doctrine is a more narrow exception than what

the majority holds. Although I dissent on this issue, I have reservations

whether the cardboard box should be excluded from trial. This case cries out for

an exception to exclusionary rule so that police errors of this type do not serve

as an absolute bar. A brief recitation of the facts is necessary to fully explain my

conclusion.

Prior to Oliver’s arrest, his co-conspirator, Henson, had confessed to

officers about evidence used in the crime. Specifically, Henson discussed a

laptop computer and a box of documents that Oliver had moved into Armstrong’s

apartment. Henson did not know Armstrong’s address, but he gave officers

directions to her home along with an accurate description of her apartment

building. When agents arrested Oliver near his home they returned to Oliver’s

house, with his consent, and questioned him. Oliver confessed and gave a

detailed explanation of the scheme. Oliver admitted to using a laptop, but told

agents he had tossed the computer into a lake. A few days later, the agents went

to Armstrong’s apartment and interviewed her. Unbeknownst to the agents,

Armstrong had previously inspected the contents of Oliver’s cardboard box and

she had attempted to access the laptop’s files.

Armstrong never informed the agents about her search. Instead, when

agents inquired whether Oliver had left behind belongings, Armstrong pointed

to a cardboard box in her dining room. She told the agents they could have it

and the agents picked it up. Armstrong then led the agents to a bedroom where

a laptop sat. Armstrong handed the laptop to the agents. Later, the agents

obtained a search warrant so they could review the laptop’s files. They did not

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obtain a search warrant for the cardboard box because the agents thought they

needed “a search warrant for a computer, not for a box of records.”

The majority holds that this search was valid under the private search

doctrine. In the majority’s view, when a private individual examines a closed

container’s contents, a subsequent warrantless search by government officials

does not violate the Fourth Amendment if the two searches are congruent in

scope. Under this analysis, no consideration is given to an officer’s knowledge

of the private individual’s earlier search. This interpretation, however, is much

broader than the limits reached by our case law. We have held that in cases

where police view evidence after a private citizen notifies officers about his

search, the police’s acts “‘do not constitute a ‘search’ within the meaning of the

Fourth Amendment so long as the view is confined to the scope and product of

the initial search.’” Runyan, 275 F.3d at 458 (quoting United States v. Bomengo,

580 F.2d 173, 175 (5th Cir. 1978)). But, we have never applied this holding to

a case in which a private citizen searches a closed container but fails to share his

knowledge with police.

The requirement of a private individual sharing information with police

is supported by the Court’s holding in Jacobsen. 466 U.S. at 120 n. 17. In that

case, Justice Stevens stated that the defendant’s reasonable expectation of

privacy had evaporated because “the Federal Express employees who were

lawfully in possession of the package invited the agent to examine its contents;

the governmental conduct was made possible only because private parties had

compromised the integrity of this container.” Id. Key to Justice Stevens’s

consideration was the sequence of events: a private search followed by an

individual’s disclosure of information to police. Id. at 119–20. Thus, under

Jacobsen, the private search doctrine applies only when a private search is

followed by an individual’s disclosures to police about that search. Id.; see also

1 Wayne R. LaFave, SEARCH AND SEIZURE: A TREATISE ON THE FOURTH

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AMENDMENT §1.8 (4th ed. 2004). Runyan offers further support for this

interpretation. In that case, we stated that “Jacobsen directs courts to inquire

whether the government learned something from the police search that it could

not have learned from the private searcher’s testimony and if so, whether the

defendant had a legitimate expectation of privacy in that information.” 275 F.3d

at 461 (citing Jacobsen, 466 U.S. at 118–20) (emphasis added). In Runyan, we

emphasized throughout that we must consider whether the government had

“knowledge” of a container’s contents based on the citizen’s statements,

recollections, or description before we could answer whether the government’s

search exceeded a private search’s scope. 275 F.3d at 463–64.

The majority relies on Runyan and Jacobsen to conclude that once an

individual searches a defendant’s closed container, “his reasonable expectation

of privacy evaporates.” In my reading of those cases, that is an incomplete

representation of the holdings. Runyan and Jacobsen weighed whether police

1

exceeded the scope of a private search when citizens had explicitly informed

officers about an earlier search. Neither case can truly be used to support the

majority’s view of the private search doctrine in this case. In a footnote, the

majority responds that our prior private search doctrine cases have not expressly

This interpretation is also contradicted by a number of other private search cases 1

from this circuit in which we have upheld warrantless searches by the government. From

these cases, a pattern emerges. First, a private citizen inspected an item for which there was

a reasonable expectation of privacy. Then, the individual shared his knowledge with police.

And, only then, did police conduct a constitutionally permissible warrantless search. This

pattern indicates that the privacy right disappears only after the private citizen shares his

knowledge with police. See Bomengo, 580 F.2d at 175–76 (apartment staff entered defendant’s

apartment, found guns in closet, and notified police who searched closet and seized guns);

United States v. Pierce, 893 F.2d 669, 673-74 (5th Cir. 1990) (airline employees opened

suspicious package and notified police about contents before officers searched package); United

States v. Grimes, 244 F.3d 375, 383 (5th Cir. 2001) (computer repair technician viewed child

pornography on defendant’s computer and told police who viewed previously found images);

United States v. Parks, 119 F. App’x 593, 598–99 (5th Cir. Dec. 2001) (unpublished) (upholding

warrantless search under private search doctrine after Federal Express employees opened

package, discovered drugs, and informed police).

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required the sharing of information with police. This is inaccurate. In Runyan,

we repeatedly stated that application of the private search doctrine depends on

the police’s “confirmation of prior knowledge” of a private citizen’s search. 275

F.3d at 463. Runyan emphasized that the permissible scope of an officer’s search

turns on the officer’s certainty of what was inside a closed container. That

certainty can be established from “the statements of the private searchers,

[officers’] replication of the private search, and [officers’] expertise.” Id. Runyan

specifically required a court to consider what knowledge private citizens shared

with police. Here, agents could not confirm Armstrong’s knowledge because they

were unaware of her earlier search.

The majority also relies on our discussion in Paige about a defendant’s

reasonable expectation of privacy to conclude that “it is the private search itself,

2

and not the authorities’ learning of such search, that renders a police officer’s

subsequent warrantless search permissible.” Paige, however, involved the

search of a defendant’s garage by a private citizen, the results of which were

immediately communicated to police before the government conducted a

warrantless search. 136 F.3d at 1015–16. In Paige, our discussion specifically

focused on foreseeability and an individual’s expectation of privacy as it relates

to the search of his home—a space that warrants special consideration under the

Fourth Amendment. Id. at 1020–21. Based on this critical fact, we narrowly

confined Paige’s Fourth Amendment inquiry to “a police search of a home that

extends no further than a previously-conducted private party search.” Id. at

Neither party has briefed whether Oliver had a reasonable expectation of privacy in 2

the cardboard box he left at Armstrong’s house. The district court assumed such an

expectation existed. The majority concludes that Oliver’s privacy right disappeared because

he left the box at Armstrong’s apartment “for several days without notifying or otherwise

communicating his whereabouts to Armstrong.” But, we do not know whether Oliver actually

chose to leave the box unattended because agents located the box several days after they had

arrested Oliver and placed him in federal custody.

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1020. And, we specifically declined to extend Jacobsen or the private search

doctrine to the facts of Paige. Id. at 1020 n.11.

Nonetheless, while I disagree with the majority’s treatment of the private

search doctrine, I have serious misgivings whether the contents of the cardboard

box should be suppressed. Under our current precedent, we have little choice

but to reflexively apply the exclusionary rule unless an exception exists. And,

we are prevented from weighing whether the exclusion of evidence would truly

deter future police misconduct. I have serious doubts, however, whether that

3

approach is correct.

Suppression of relevant, otherwise admissible evidence should always be

“our last resort, not our first impulse.” Hudson v. Mich., 547 U.S. 586, 591

(2006). Accordingly, the Supreme Court has long rejected the “reflexive

application” of the exclusionary rule wherever a Fourth Amendment violation

has occurred. Ariz. v. Evans, 514 U.S. 1, 13 (1995). The exclusionary rule is a

prudential measure that applies “only where its deterrence benefits outweigh its

‘substantial social costs.’” Pa. Bd. of Prob. and Parole v. Scott, 524 U.S. 357, 363

(1998) (quoting United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, 907 (1984)). Although this

case does not fall squarely within any of the established “exceptions” to the

exclusionary rule, its peculiar facts present an instance where application of the

rule seems particularly difficult to justify.

As the Court noted in Herring v. United States, the exclusionary rule

applies only when it will result in the appreciable deterrence of deliberate,

reckless, or grossly negligent police misconduct. 129 S. Ct. 695, 700, 702 (2009).

See Runyan, 275 F.3d at 466 (“The exclusionary rule prohibits introduction at trial 3

of evidence obtained as the result of an illegal search or seizure. The rule excludes not only

the illegally obtained evidence itself, but also other incriminating evidence derived from that

primary evidence. . . . [T]his court [has] outlined [ ] three primary exceptions to the

exclusionary rule. Evidence will be admissible despite the exclusionary rule if: (1) it ‘derives

from an independent source,’ (2) it ‘has an attenuated link to the illegally secured evidence,’

or (3) it ‘inevitably would have been discovered during police investigation without the aid of

the illegally obtained evidence.’”) (internal citations omitted).

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Case: 09-10133 Document: 00511343102 Page: 31 Date Filed: 01/06/2011
No. 09-10133

But police malfeasance does not exist here. When agents arrived at Armstrong’s

apartment they were not blindly searching for items that could link Oliver to the

crime. Thanks to Henson’s and Oliver’s confessions, agents went to Armstrong’s

home with knowledge of what was inside the cardboard box—a notebook, credit

and identification cards, and documents related to the fraud. When the agents

thought they needed a search warrant for the laptop they obtained one

immediately. When the agents failed to obtain a warrant to examine the box’s

contents—apparently because they misunderstood the law—they made a

mistake that could have been avoided because they had probable cause to

acquire a search warrant due to Henson’s confession. The applicability of the

exclusionary rule, however, does not depend on the wrongness of their judgment,

but “the efficacy of the rule in deterring Fourth Amendment violations in the

future.” Herring, 129 S. Ct. at 700. Given that there is no evidence of malice

here, as agents could have easily obtained a search warrant, I do not see how the

interests of deterrence are served by excluding the cardboard box’s contents.

Of course, law enforcement will always be better off obtaining a warrant

in cases such as this. But suppression of evidence is not constitutionally

commanded for failure to do so. See Evans, 514 U.S. at 10. Every application

of the exclusionary rule exacts an extraordinary cost on “truth-seeking and law

enforcement objectives.” Herring, 129 S. Ct. at 701 (quoting Scott, 524 U.S. at

368). Before applying the rule, courts must consider whether “the benefits of

deterrence . . . outweigh the costs.” Id. (citing Leon, at 910). Here, the

unconstitutional search resulted from an error in the agents’ judgment, which

in my view does not amount to misconduct. Although I disagree that the private

search doctrine applies to this case, I would not apply the exclusionary rule to

the facts of this case either. Unfortunately, I know of no case law or authority

that would allow me to affirm the district court’s judgment.

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Case: 09-10133 Document: 00511343102 Page: 32 Date Filed: 01/06/2011
No. 09-10133

For the reasons stated above, I would REVERSE the district court’s motion

to suppress judgment and I would REMAND for further proceedings.

4

Under the terms of Oliver’s conditional plea agreement, he is permitted to withdraw 4

his guilty plea if he successfully appeals the denial of his suppression motion. The

government, however, may prosecute any charges against him as to which the statute of

limitations had not expired as of the filing of the indictment.

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Case: 09-10133 Document: 00511343102 Page: 33 Date Filed: 01/06/2011