Opinion ID: 2762751
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Indictment and district court proceedings

Text: Swan, Washington, and Kittelberger were indicted by a grand jury on the following offenses: (1) one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1349, conspiracy to defraud a financial institution; (2) eight counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 514(a)(2), fictitious obligations; (3) one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1708, possession of stolen mail; and (4) one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1028A (a)(1), aggravated identity theft. Swan filed a motion to suppress evidence recovered from Suite 206, asserting that the officers involved in the investigation lacked permission and legal authority to enter the room. Washington filed a similar motion to suppress, contending that the officers’ warrantless entry violated his Fourth Amendment rights and that the evidence seized from Suite 206 was inadmissible. Kittelberger orally joined in the motions to suppress. After conducting an evidentiary hearing, the district court denied the motions in a memorandum order for the following reasons: (1) The warrantless entry was justified by exigent circumstances, namely, that the Malibu’s occupants could have warned the individuals in Suite 206 once the officers initiated a stop of the Malibu, and (2) even if the officers’ warrantless entry into Suite 206 violated the Fourth Amendment, excluding the evidence would be improper 4 Case: 14-30172 Document: 00512875517 Page: 5 Date Filed: 12/18/2014 No. 14-30172 because the government had established by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have obtained the evidence even if no misconduct had taken place. 1 The case proceeded to a five-day jury trial. The jury found Swan and Washington guilty on all counts of the indictment, save the one for aggravated identity theft. The jury found Kittelberger guilty on all counts except three counts of fictitious obligations. Washington, Kittelberger, and Swan timely appealed their convictions and sentences, asserting that the district court erred in denying their motions to suppress. On appeal, Kittelberger and Swan challenge their convictions under 18 U.S.C. § 514(a)(2), claiming that their conduct does not support convictions under our precedent. 2 Kittelberger also appeals the district court’s application of a two-level enhancement to his sentence under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(c), claiming that no evidence in the record supports such enhancement.