Opinion ID: 3001998
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Trials

Text: In January 2005 a federal grand jury in Milwaukee returned an indictment against Sheryl, Holt, Vaughn, and 6 Nos. 05-4595 & 06-1386 Culbert. Two months later the grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding Watts. Sheryl, Holt, and Vaughn all pleaded guilty. Culbert, arguing that Special Agent Gluntz’s affidavit did not establish probable cause, moved to suppress the evidence obtained during the November 2002 search of his residence. The district court denied the motion, reasoning that the affidavit included sufficient facts to demonstrate probable cause that evidence of Culbert’s involvement in the stolencheck ring might be found at his residence. Watts, who was tried in July 2005 before Culbert, moved in limine to exclude evidence that he and Cheryl opened their Wells Fargo accounts using addresses for commercial mailboxes rented under aliases. The district court reserved ruling on this motion and then denied it after three days of trial testimony. Culbert, tried separately in September 2005, moved in limine to exclude evidence that he also had provided stolen Treasury checks to others not involved in this scheme. Once again the court reserved ruling, and once again after three days of trial testimony the court allowed the evidence in.