Opinion ID: 158887
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: On April 15, 1998, deputies from the Hughes County, Oklahoma Sheriff’s Office arrested defendant pursuant to an arrest warrant on a charge of racketeering. Deputies had observed defendant’s car outside his business, the Sandy Bar Game Club. Four officers wearing bullet proof vests surrounded the premises. Two of the officers testified they were concerned for their safety in making the arrest because weapons had been involved in many of their earlier interactions with defendant and because defendant had threatened officers on earlier occasions. See R. Vol. VI, at 35, 52. One officer, Deputy Sutterfield, testified that while he was outside the club, he heard noises in the southeast -2- corner of the building which sounded like someone moving objects around. See id. at 54-55. The deputies entered the club into a hallway and then into a concession area, which one officer estimated to be approximately twenty-five to thirty-five feet wide and forty-five to fifty-five feet long. The officers saw defendant and another man they did not recognize, a Mr. Blackman, in the concession area. Defendant was informed he was under arrest. He was allowed to use the restroom, after which he was handcuffed in the hallway and escorted out of the building. During this time, the other officers questioned Mr. Blackman and determined that he had no outstanding arrest warrants. When questioned, Mr. Blackman said he did not know what was going on in the southeast corner of the concession area where noises had been heard. Deputy Sutterfield testified that he walked over to that corner because he was concerned there could be something of danger there, that he observed an icebox in the corner and then observed a black gun case on the south side of the icebox. See id. at 57-59. Deputy Sutterfield opened the gun case, which contained two firearms. Deputy Sutterfield testified the arresting officer had just started to handcuff the defendant in the hallway during this time. See id . at 60. Deputy Sutterfield and the remaining officers left the club with Mr. Blackman approximately five minutes after the arresting officer left with the defendant. Later that day, the deputies obtained a search warrant to -3- search the club for firearms based on their observation of the gun case and firearms during their search during the arrest. The search was conducted the next day, during which officers discovered evidence of other crimes, including those to which defendant ultimately pled guilty.