# 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 5- 28 45

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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.

Dav id Lee Gen tl es

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

an t - Ap pe ll an t

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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: Sep te m

be r 22 , 20 16

Fil ed : Dec em

be r 6, 2 01 6

[Un pu bl is he d]

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Befo re WOL LMAN, BRIGHT, an d KELLY, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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PER CURI AM.

Dav id Lee Gen tl es was co nv ic te d o f r e cei vi ng ch il d po rn og rap hy, us in g th e

In te rn et to di st rib ut e ch il d po rn og rap hy, an d us in g th e In te rn et to kn owi ng ly at te m ptto tra ns fer ob sc en e m at te r to a m in or

. He ap pe al s fro m th e di st ric t co ur t’s de ni al of 1

hi s m ot io n t o s up pr es s ev id en ce. We affir m

.

In May 20 12

, an of

fic er wit h th e Mi ss ou ri In te r n e t C rimes Aga in st Ch il dr en

Task Fo rce rel ay ed th e fo ll owi ng in fo rm at io n to Cap ta in Dav id Su tt on of th e Po pl ar

Bl uf f Po li ce Dep art m en t. A fed eral ag en t ha d po se d as a tw e l v e

- ye a r

- o ld gi rl an d

ch at te d wit h an ad ul t m al e who ha d us ed th e sc reen na m e “ he ll os weet da rli n.” Dur in g

th e ch at , hel lo swe et da rli n p ro vi de d i ns tru ct io ns on ho w to m as tu rb at e an d sa id th at

he ha d ta ug ht hi s fo ur te en -y ear- ol d da ug ht er ho w t o m as tu rb at e. Su tt on rece iv ed a

co py of th e ch at co m

m un ic at io n, a vi de o of an ad ul t m al e m as tu rb at in g th at was se nt

du rin g th e ch at

, a co py of th e a d mi n is tra ti ve su bp oe na se nt to th e In te rn et se rv ic e

pr ov id er fo r in fo rm at io n rel at ed to th e In te rn et Pro to co l (IP) ad dr es s as so ci at ed wit h

he ll os weet da rli n, an d th e In te rn et se rv ic e pr ov id er’s res po ns e th at Dav id Gen tl es was

th e su bs cri be r o f t h e IP ad dr es s as so ci at ed wit h he ll os weet da rli n. The In te rn et

se rv ic e pr ov id er id en ti fie d th e fo ll owi ng two ad dr es se s as so ci at ed wit h Gen tl es ’s

acco un t: P.O. Bo x 38

, Mi l l Sp rin g, Mi ss ou ri; an d Ro ut e 3, Bo x 72 92

, Hwy 49 5,

Loo pe r, Mi ss ou ri.

Cap ta in Su tt on wen t to th e W ay ne Co un ty Sh eri ff’s Dep art m en t, whe re he

sp ok e wit h Serg e a n t Wo o d y Mas sa

. Mas sa to ld Su tt on th at he was fam il ia r wit h

G e nt le s an d th at Gen tl es li ve d at 10 3 5t h St reet in Mi ll Sp rin g. The of fic ers al s o

se arch ed th e Mi ss ou ri Law Enfo rcem en t S ys te m

, whi ch co nf irmed th at Gen tl es ’s

ad dr es s was 10 3 5 t h S t r e et

. Mas sa br ou gh t Su tt on to Gen tl es ’s ho us e, whe re th e

of fic ers kn oc ke d on th e do or bu t rece iv ed no an swe r. The of fic ers ob se rv ed a ve hi cl e

pa rk ed in th e d riv eway an d l at er d et erm in ed th at Gent le s o wne d t he ve hi cl e.

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, ado pt in g in pa rt th e rep or t and reco m m en da ti on of

th e

Hon or ab le Lewis M. Bl an to n, Uni te d St at es Mag is tra te Ju dg e fo r th e East ern Dis tri ct

of Mi ss ou ri, n ow re ti red

.

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-The reaf te r, Su tt on pr ep ared an A f fid av it /Ap pl ic at io n fo r Sear ch W arra nt

(ap pl ic at io n)

. The ap pl ic at io n so ug h t t o se arch “ [t]he res id en ce of Dav id Gen tl es

,

de sc rib ed as a whi te si de d, si ng le st or y

, woo d fram e bu il di ng lo cat ed at 10 3 5t h St reet

i n Mi ll Sp rin g[ ,] Mi ss ou ri; an y ve hi cl es an d bu il di ng s fo un d at th at lo cat io ns [s ic ] ;

an d an y co m

pu te rs an d/ or el ect ro ni c m ed ia an d st or ag e de vi ces fo un d th erei n.” The

ap pl ic at io n se t fo rth th e de ta il s of th e ch at be twee n th e fed eral ag en t an d th e su sp ect

an d at ta ch e d s cree n cap tu res of th e ch at

, in cl ud in g an im ag e of th e su sp ect

m as tu rb at in g. The ap pl ic at io n al so st at ed th at reco rd s fro m th e In te rn et se rv ic e

pr ov id er “ id en ti fie d Dav id Gen tl es in Mi ll Sp rin g[ ,] Mi ss ou ri as th e In te rn et se rv ic e

acco un t ho ld er.” The ap pl ic at io n di d no t li st th e t w o ad dr es se s as so ci at ed wit h

acco un t, ho wev er. Afte r Su tt on pr ep ared th e ap pl ic at io n, it was rev ie wed an d si gn ed

by a W ay ne Co un ty pr os ecu to r, who fo rward ed it to a jud ge

, who th en is su ed a se arch

warra nt . The s earc h re ve al ed ev id en ce o f th e o ffen se s s et for th ab ov e.

Gen tl es m ov ed to su pp res s th e ev id en ce, arg ui ng

, as rel e v a n t to th is ap pe al

,

th at th e ap p l i cat io n fai le d to es ta bl is h pr ob ab le cau se be cau se “ [n ]o fact s [were ]

al le ge d in th e ap pl ic at io n to su pp or t th e cl ai m th at th e bu il di ng at 10 3 5t h St reet

, Mi ll

Sp rin g, Mi ss ou ri, [was ] th e res id en c e o f Dav id Gen tl es .” Dur in g th e su pp res si on

he ari ng

, Cap ta in Su t t o n t e s t ifi ed th at he fo cu se d th e in ve st ig at io n on th e res id en ce

lo cat ed at 10 3 5t h St reet aft er Serg ean t Mas sa to ld hi m whe re Gen tl es li ve d an d th at

“ [i]t ha d no t oc cu rred to [ h i m] t o in cl ud e al l th e ad dr es se s th at ha d co m e up in th e

in ve st ig at io n.” Su tt on al so te st ifi ed th at it was hi s p ract ic e to ex pl ai n h ow h e cam e

to kn ow a su sp ect ’s ad dr es s, and he de sc rib ed hi s fail ur e to do so in th is in st an ce as

“ an ov ers ig h t

. ” The di st ric t co ur t de ni ed th e m ot io n to su pp res s, ad op ti ng th e

m ag is tra te jud ge ’s reco m

m en da ti on th at th e go od -fai th ex cep ti on to th e ex cl us io na ry

ru le sh ou ld ap pl y

.

Gen tl es arg ue s th at th e d i s t r i ct co ur t sh ou ld ha ve gr an te d hi s m ot io n to

su pp res s ev id en ce be cau se th e ap pl ic at io n fai le d to es ta bl is h pr ob ab le cau se to se arch

th e res id en ce lo cat ed at 10 3 5t h S tre et in Mi ll Sp rin g. The Fo ur th Am en dm en t

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-req ui res a sh owi ng of pr ob ab le cau s e b e f o r e a se arch warra nt m ay be is su ed

.

“ Pro ba bl e cau se ex is ts whe n th e affi da vi t se ts fo rth su ffi ci en t fact s to le ad a pr ud en t

pe rs on to be li ev e th at th ere is a ‘fair pr ob ab il it y th at c o n t r a b a nd 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.’” Uni te d St at es v. W arfo rd

, 43 9 F.3 d 83 6,

84 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ) (q uo ti ng Ill in oi s v. Gate s, 46 2 U.S. 2 1 3

, 2 3 8 ( 1 98 3) ). In

rev ie win g th e de ni al of a m ot io n to su pp res s ev id en ce, we rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t’s

fact ua l d et erm in at io ns for cle ar er ro r an d i ts leg al de te rm in at io ns de no vo . Id.

As an in it ia l m at te r, we co nc lu de th at th e ap pl ic at io n e st ab li sh ed pr ob ab le

cau se to se arch Gen tl es ’s ho m e, ev en if it di d no t es ta bl is h pr ob ab le cau se to se arch

a pa rti cu la r ad dr es s. The ap pl ic at io n de sc rib ed th e il li ci t in fo rm a t i o n e xc ha ng ed

du rin g th e on li ne ch at be twee n a fed eral ag en t an d an ad ul t m al e. Att ach ed t o t he

ap pl ic at io n were sc reen cap tu res of th e c h a t

, i n c lu di ng an im ag e of an ad ul t m al e

m as tu rb at in g. Mo reo ve r, th e ap pl ic at io n ex pl ai ne d th at reco rd s ob ta in ed fro m th e

In te rn et pr ov id er id en ti fie d Gen tl es as th e In te rn et se rv ic e acco un t ho ld er. Fro m th is

i n fo rm at io n, th e is su in g jud ge co ul d reas on ab ly in fer th at th e fed eral ag en t

su bp oe na ed in fo rm at io n rel at ed to th e su sp ect ’s I P ad dr es s an d t h a t G e nt le s, as th e

acco un t ho ld er, pr ob ab ly was th e ad ul t m al e en ga ge d in th e un la wfu l on li ne act iv it y

de sc rib ed in th e ap pl ic at io n. Bec au se th e it em s li st ed in th e se arch

warra n t

— co m

pu te rs

, web cam s, an d ot he r el ect ro ni c m ed ia an d st or ag e

de vi ces —g en eral ly are ke pt in on e’s ho m e, it fo ll ows th at pr ob ab le cau se ex is te d to

se ar c h Gen tl es ’s ho m e. See Uni te d St at es v. Co wli ng

, 64 8 F.3 d 69 0, 69 6 (8 th Ci r.

20 11 ) (h ol di ng th at pr ob ab le c a u se ex is te d to se arch th e de fen da nt ’s res id en ce

be cau se th e warra nt affi da vi t es ta bl is he d pr ob ab le cau se th at th e de fen da nt po ss es se d

st ol en fir earm s an d be cau se pe op l e g e n e r a ll y ke ep fir earm s at ho m e or on th ei r

pe rs on s) ; Uni te d St at es v. McArt hu r, 57 3 F.3 d 60 8, 61 3- 14 ( 8 t h Ci r. 20 09 ) (“ The

o b s e rv at io n th at im ag es of ch il d po rn og rap hy are li ke ly to be ho ard ed by pe r s o n s

in te res te d in th os e m at e r i a l s i n th e pr iv acy o f th ei r ho m es is su pp or te d by co m m on

se ns e an d th e cas es .” (al te rat io n om it te d) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Ri ccar di

, 40 5 F.3 d

85 2, 8 61 (10 th Cir . 20 05 ))).

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-Gen tl es arg ue s th at th e ap pl ic at io n di d no t se t fo rth an y “ ev id en ti ary

su pp o r t

. . . th at an y th in g il le ga l wou ld be fo un d at 10 3 5t h St reet

, Mi ll Sp rin g,

Mi ss ou ri.” As s u m in g wit ho ut de ci di ng th at th e ap pl ic at io n was in su ffi ci en t to

es ta bl is h pr ob ab le cau se to se arch th at pa rti cu la r ad dr es s, we ho ld th at th e go od -fai th

ex cep ti on to th e ex cl us io na ry ru le ap pl ie s in th is cas e. See W arfo rd

, 43 9 F.3 d at 84 1

(“ In rev ie win g a di st ric t co ur t’s de ni al of a m ot io n to su pp res s, we m ay co ns id er th e

ap pl ic ab il it y of th e go od -fai th ex cep ti on to th e ex cl us io na ry ru le be fo re rev ie win g th e

ex is te nc e o f pr ob ab le cau se .”).

“ Und er th e Leo n go od -fai th ex cep ti on , d is pu te d ev id en ce wil l be ad m it te d if

it was ob jecti ve ly reas on ab le fo r th e of fic er ex ecu ti ng a se arch warra nt to ha ve rel ie d

in go od fai th on th e jud ge ’s de te rm in at io n th at th ere was pr ob ab le cau se to is su e th e

warra nt .” Uni te d St at es v. Gran t, 49 0 F.3 d 62 7, 63 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 ) ( c i t i n g Uni te d

St at es v. Leo n, 46 8 U.S. 89 7, 92 2 (1 98 4) ). In de te rm in in g whe th er th e of fic er rel ie d

in go od fai th on th e va li di ty o f a warra nt

, we co ns id er th e to ta li ty of th e

ci rcu m st an ces

, in cl ud in g an y in fo rm at io n kn own to th e of fic er bu t no t in cl ud ed in th e

se arch warran t ap pl ic at io n. Id

.

Co ns id eri ng th e in fo rm at io n kn own to S ut to n, bu t no t in cl ud ed in th e

ap pl ic at io n, we co nc lu de th at Su tt on ’s in ve st ig at io n es ta bl is he d th at Gen tl es li ve d at

th e 1 03 5t h S tre et ad dr es s an d t ha t Su tt on act ed in go od fai th whe n he reli ed on th e

warra nt to se arch th at ad dr es s. As s et for th ab ov e, Serg ean t M as sa to ld Su tt on th at

Gen tl es li ve d at 10 3 5t h St reet ; th e of fic ers wen t to th at ad dr es s an d f o u n d a car

own ed by Gen tl es pa rk ed in th e dr iv eway; an d th e of fic ers co nf

irmed th e ad dr es s by

se arch in g t he Mi ss ou ri Law En fo rcem en t Syste m

.

G en tles arg ue s th at th e go od -fai th ex cep ti on to th e ex cl us io na ry ru le sh ou ld not

ap pl y

, ho wev er, be cau se th e ap pl ic at io n di d no t ex pl ai n ho w Su tt on de te rm in ed th at

Gen tl es li ve d at 10 3 5t h St reet an d be cau se it om it te d th e two ad dr es se s th at were on

fil e wit h th e In te rn et pr ov i d e r. Acco rd in g to Gen tl es

, th e om it te d in fo rm at io n

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-ren de red th e ap pl ic at io n m is le ad in g. An of fic er’s rel ia nc e on a se arch warra nt i s

co ns id ered ob

jecti ve ly un reas on ab le whe n t h e affi da vi t in su pp or t of th e warra nt

in cl ud es “ a fal se st at em en t m ad e kn o w i n g l y an d in te nt io na ll y or wit h reck le ss

di sr eg ard fo r it s tru th

, th us m is le ad in g th e is su in g jud ge .” Gran t, 49 0 F.3 d at 63 2; se e

Leo n, 46 8 U.S. at 92 3 (“ Su pp res si on th eref or e rem ai ns an ap pr op ria te rem ed y if th e

m ag is tra te or jud ge in is su in g a warra nt was m is le d by in fo rm at io n in an affi da vi t th at

th e affi an t kn ew was fal se or wou ld ha ve kn own was fal se ex cep t fo r hi s reck le ss

di sr eg ard of t he tru th .” (ci ti ng Fran ks v. Del aware , 43 8 U.S. 1 54 (19 78 )).

Gen tl es co nt en ds th at Su tt on ’s om is si on s were reck le ss

, in li gh t of th e fact th at

“ [w]ith two or th ree si m

pl e se nt en ces

, Cap t. Su tt on co ul d ha ve in fo rm ed th e co ur t th at

th e in te rn et se rv ic e pr ov id er ga ve a di ffer en t add res s, bu t th at he ha d a fact ua l ba si s

t o b e l i e ve th at wha t he was se arch in g fo r wou ld be fo un d at a di ffer en t lo cat io n.”

Gen tl es ha s no t id en ti fie d an y fal se st at em en t, ho wev er, an d th us hi s arg um en t m us t

fai l. As se t fo rth ab ov e, Su tt on ’s in ve st ig at io n fu ll y su pp or te d th e ap pl ic at io n’s

req ue st to se arch “ [t]he res id en ce of D av id Gen tl es

. . . lo cat ed at 10 3 5t h St in Mil l

Sp rin g.”

The jud gm en t i s af

fir m ed

.

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