Opinion ID: 622724
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Vucich's Affidavit and the State-Law Warrant

Text: In his affidavit, Vucich provided details on his experience and background with law enforcement, including his participation on an FBI task force, his training on computer crimes, and his membership in multiple law enforcement groups. He explicitly states that he bases his affidavit on his training and experience, his investigation into Clark's alleged sexual assault on his niece, and information acquired by other investigators and persons specifically trained in the seizure and analysis of computers and electronic media. In addition to the facts detailed in Part I.A.I, his affidavit contained general language about individuals associated with child pornography. Specifically, he stated: Based on my training, knowledge, and experience, I am aware that individuals who are often associated with the offenses alleged relating to sex offenses involving minors will often collect and/or view images on the computer for the following reasons: (a) They will receive sexual gratification, stimulation, and satisfaction from actual physical contact with children and/or from fantasies they may have viewing children engaged in sexual activity or sexually suggestive poses (in person, in photographs, or other visual media) or from literature describing such activity. (b) Collect sexually explicit or suggestive materials (hard-core[] and soft-core pornography, whether of adults and/or children) in a variety of media . . . that they use for their own sexual arousal and/or gratification. (c) Almost always possess and maintain their material . . . in the privacy and security of their homes or some other secure location. Child pornography distributors/collectors typically retain recordings, mailing[] lists, child erotica, and videotapes for many years, and store their child pornography amongst other, otherwise legal media or files. . . . [D]igital evidence, like child pornography contraband, is different than traditional evidence that can be concealed, sold, used, and/or destroyed and is not as volatile as other illegal items like narcotics. . . . When images are stored and/or deleted . . . they can potentially be recovered and may still reside on the digital media. . . . I have also learned that . . . these computer files or remnants of such files can be recovered months or even years after they have been downloaded onto a hard drive, deleted or viewed via the internet. . . . The warrant was granted. It authorized police to search Clark's Glenwood Avenue address and to seize any items that constituted evidence of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and child pornography. The warrant encompassed, among other items, Clark's Dell Inspiron laptop; any equipment that could collect, analyze, create, display, store, conceal, print, or transmit electronic, magnetic, optical, or similar computer impulses or data; any data-processing devices such as central processing units, memory typewriters, and self-contained laptop or notebook computers; printers, scanners, modems, and internal and peripheral storage devices; cellular telephones; photographs; and biological evidence. The search ensued on April 26, 2010. Police seized two computers, DVDs, CDs, two hard drives, and the Dell Inspiron laptop, which was kept at Clark's place of employment.