Opinion ID: 852902
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Contraband in close proximity to other items associated with the defendant?

Text: As an additional circumstance supporting the claim that Gee was aware of the presence and character of the seized contraband, the State relies on supposed trial court testimony that several personal effects belonging to Gee were found in close proximity to the drugs. It is true that the mingling of the contraband with other items owned by the defendant is an additional circumstance demonstrating the probability that the defendant knew of the presence and character of the controlled substance. Id.; see also Allen v. State, 798 N.E.2d 490, 501-02 (Ind.Ct.App.2003) (noting that the [l]ocation of the drugs in close proximity to items owned by the defendant is an additional circumstance tending to buttress an inference that the defendant intended to maintain dominion and control over the contraband), trans. not sought. The record shows that several receipts and invoices from various businesses, all of which bore Gee's name, were found in a drawer in the kitchen of the house. R. at 79-85. However, no drugs or drug paraphernalia were discovered in the kitchen. Other personal items belonging to Gee, a social security card, and a birth certificate, were located in an upstairs bedroom that Gee occupied, but no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found anywhere in the vicinity. By contrast in a bedroom occupied by Lewis, officers found a lock box under a bed containing $5000 in $20 bills. Id. at 89-90, 92-93. According to Officer Krider, this particular dollar denomination is common in illegal drug sales. Id. at 120. The record shows that the only personal items found near the contraband were several photographs in which Gee appeared with his cousin Lewis along with other people. The photographs were located in the cabinet underneath the shelf. Id. at 186. However when asked the question, You don't know who own [sic] those pictures, whether they were [Lewis'] pictures or [Gee's] pictures, you don't know do you? Officer Krider answered, [C]orrect. Id. at 120. It is clear that the photographs are the only items that could plausibly qualify as having been mingled with the confiscated drugs. However absent any evidence of who owned the photographs we cannot say the location of the drugs was somehow associated with Gee's personal property. See, e.g., Davenport, 464 N.E.2d at 1307 (Ind.1984) (describing that in a house occupied by the defendant and his girlfriend, drugs were found in a dresser drawer along with a man's watch and several syringes in the only bedroom in the residence).