Opinion ID: 1395415
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether Goltz's Search Exceeded the Scope of Gallardo's Consent

Text: Gallardo further argues that a reasonable person would not have interpreted his exchange with Goltz as providing Goltz with sufficiently broad consent to search the engine compartment of the truck for drugs. See Florida v. Jimeno, 500 U.S. 248, 251, 111 S.Ct. 1801, 114 L.Ed.2d 297 (1991) (stating that the scope of consent to a search is generally defined by its expressed object and determined by what . . . the typical reasonable person [would] have understood by the exchange between the officer and the suspect[.]). We disagree. The exchange left no doubt that illegal drugs would be the object of Goltz's search; immediately prior to asking for consent to search the vehicle, Goltz asked Gallardo several times if Gallardo had drugs in the truck. In addition, Gallardo placed no qualifications upon his consent. We have held that the typical reasonable person would understand a suspect's general consent to search a vehicle for drugs to include consent to open unlocked containers within the vehicle, id., access apparently false compartments, United States v. Ferrer-Montoya, 483 F.3d 565, 568-69 (8th Cir.2007), and search any part of the truck where [drugs] might be stored. United States v. Siwek, 453 F.3d 1079, 1085 (8th Cir.2006). Goltz had the benefit of several years' experience in locating hidden compartments in vehicles used for drug trafficking as a state patrol officer, and this experience had shown that the engine compartment was a part of the truck where [drugs] might be stored. Id. Given the above precedent, the acts of opening the hood and examining the engine compartment did not exceed Gallardo's unqualified consent to search the truck for drugs. Gallardo also argues that he was deprived of an opportunity to withdraw or limit the scope of his consent after the search began because Goltz told him to sit in the squad car during the search. See United States v. Sanders, 424 F.3d 768, 774 (8th Cir.2005) (Once given, consent to search may be withdrawn. . . .). We need not reach this argument. Even assuming that the searching officers had some independent duty to ensure Gallardo an opportunity to withdraw consent after the search began  and Gallardo offers no authority suggesting that such a duty exists  the facts here do not compel the conclusion that Gallardo lacked such an opportunity. The squad car was parked immediately behind Gallardo's truck. Gallardo was not handcuffed, and he sat in the front seat of the squad car for the duration of the search. If Gallardo wished to withdraw his consent, there is no evidence that he was unable to do so  particularly because Gallardo made no attempt to attract the attention of the officers once the search began. Under these facts, Gallardo was at least obligated to make some effort to communicate an intent to withdraw his consent. He did not, and therefore we find Gallardo's argument on this issue to be without merit.