Opinion ID: 1842911
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Challenge to the Finding of Probable Cause.

Text: We use the totality of the circumstances standard enunciated in Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 238-39, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 2332, 76 L.Ed.2d 527, 548 (1983), to determine whether probable cause has been established for the issuance of a search warrant. The existence of probable cause to search a particular area depends on whether a person of reasonable prudence would believe that evidence of a crime might be located on the premises to be searched. Gogg, 561 N.W.2d at 363. The task of the judge issuing the search warrant is to make a practical, common-sense decision whether, given all the circumstances set forth in the affidavit presented to the judge, there is a fair probability that law enforcement authorities will find evidence of a crime at a particular place. Gates, 462 U.S. at 238-39, 103 S.Ct. at 2332, 76 L.Ed.2d at 548. A finding of probable cause depends on a nexus between criminal activity, the things to be seized and the place to be searched. Green, 540 N.W.2d at 655. In making that determination, the judge may rely on reasonable, common-sense inferences from the information presented. Id. Close questions are resolved in favor of the validation of the warrant. State v. Poulin, 620 N.W.2d 287, 290 (Iowa 2000). In reviewing the court's determination, we draw all reasonable inferences to support a court's finding of probable cause. State v. Padavich, 536 N.W.2d 743, 747 (Iowa 1995). Considering the totality of the circumstances, the affidavit supported the Missouri court's conclusion that probable cause existed for the issuance of the search warrant permitting the search of defendant's property. The verified affidavit signed by Sheriff Davis attached to the application for the search warrant stated that some person or unknown persons committed approximately forty acts of vandalism to the Iowa property. These acts included numerous field fences being cut, fires being set, and theft of property. These acts of vandalism revolved around a dispute over the Clifford Davis estate. The affidavit disclosed that on July 24, 2001, the sheriff investigated fence cutting on the vandalized property. Someone made numerous cuts in the fence and pulled fence posts from the ground. The damaged fence was located in a remote area adjacent to the west side of defendant's property. Access to the area could only be made with the aid of an ATV four-wheeler through the defendant's property or by a dirt road on the Iowa-Missouri state line. At the time of the report, the sheriff discovered recent ATV tracks in the defendant's field. The affidavit also revealed that on August 23, 2001, a confidential informant observed the defendant trespassing on the informant's property, which borders the property where the vandalism took place. The informant observed the defendant driving an ATV four-wheeler at the time. The informant advised the officers that the defendant had no legitimate basis to be in this area as he was trespassing on the informant's property. When confronted by the informant, the defendant appeared to be surprised. The informant observed numerous items in the basket of the ATV, but was unable to identify any of these items. The informant noted the probate court had scheduled a hearing in the estate matter and that the acts of vandalism occurred at or near the time of the hearing. The sheriff confirmed in the affidavit that the confidential informant had provided reliable information to law enforcement in the past concerning numerous acts of vandalism that had occurred. Shortly after the informant contacted the authorities, Matt Davis, who is on the same side of the family dispute as the defendant, called the Wayne County Sheriff's office and reported that he had observed the defendant in the area of the vandalized property, and that he and his father did not want to be blamed for anything that was done that day. Matt Davis also revealed to the sheriff that someone had told him the defendant was involved in earlier property damage at the vandalized premises. On August 26, 2001, Sheriff Davis investigated an arson complaint, which occurred on the vandalized property. The sheriff determined two bales of hay had been deliberately set on fire. These bales were located at the entrance to the field located on the state-line road where the confidential informant had seen the defendant turning three days earlier. This information was sufficient for the judge to find probable cause existed that defendant was involved in these crimes, and there may be evidence of such crimes on defendant's premises.