Opinion ID: 183984
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Issuance of the State Search Warrant

Text: Although the agents obtained the six hard drives on July 24, 2006, Agent Albanese did not apply for a state search warrant until October 19, 2006 because he was assigned to a Secret Service security detail for the President and other high officials. Finally, Albanese applied for a state search warrant on October 19, 2006 in New Jersey Superior Court in Morris County. [3] The state search warrant was issued and authorized search of the computer hard drives [4] for evidence of both financial crimes and the possession of child pornography. Probable cause to search the hard drives for evidence of financial crimes was based on the check stock, printed checks, and check printing software found in Stabile's house. Probable cause to search for evidence of child pornography was based on the DVDs found in a desk in Stabile's house. The affidavit submitted by Albanese stated that This Affiant believes these DVDs contain labels with language that refers to mature women and young boys and contains images of minors. Unbeknownst to Albanese, between the July 24, 2006 seizure of the DVDs and the October 19, 2006 state search warrant application, state law enforcement officers had already viewed the DVDs and determined that they did not contain child pornography. Albanese was not aware that the DVDs had been viewed and determined not to contain child pornography when he applied for the state search warrant on October 19, 2006. Accordingly, the state search warrant obtained on October 19, 2006 stated that it authorized search of the hard drives for evidence of both financial crimes and child pornography. On November 16, 2006, after the issuance of the state search warrant, Agent Albanese traveled to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office where the evidence was stored. Albanese picked up the evidence and transported it to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office. During this process, but before Albanese brought the hard drives to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, Albanese learned that the DVDs from the desk had been viewed and were found not to contain child pornography. Appx. at A-726. Upon arrival, Albanese informed everybody, including the detective who would perform the forensic search, that there was a problem with the state search warrant as it related to child pornography. Appx. at A-726.