Opinion ID: 694763
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Search Warrant Affidavit Sufficiency

Text: 7 Defendant Dillehay contends that the magistrate judge erred by issuing a warrant authorizing the search of three houses in Akron, 580 Wildwood Drive, 561 Hoye Avenue 3 , 1914 Auten Drive, and erred when he denied defendant's motion to suppress certain evidence seized from two of the three houses. His suppression motion was based on his contention that the evidence was seized pursuant to a warrant obtained without probable cause. According to Dillehay, the affidavit on which the magistrate judge based his decision failed to establish probable cause because it contained no factual assertions tending to establish that the three houses contained drug-related evidence. 8
9 The search and arrest warrants in this case of May 22, 1992, were supported by a 102-page master affidavit of FBI agent Keith Thornton who supervised the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The affidavit summarized matters developed during the investigation including information from nine confidential informants and numerous intercepted wiretap conversations. The affidavit described a long-standing, on-going conspiracy to distribute cocaine in which defendant Dillehay played a major role. The affidavit referenced Dillehay and the subject houses in numerous places. Among the information contained in the affidavit was that during November of 1991, a confidential informant had purchased cocaine at the 580 Wildwood address of Dillehay. Also during November of 1991, cocaine was purchased at Dillehay's 1914 Auten address. 10
11 This court reviews the district court's decision on a motion to suppress evidence under two standards. First, the district court's findings of fact are upheld unless they are clearly erroneous. Second the district court's legal conclusion as to the existence of probable cause is reviewed de novo with great deference accorded to the warrant-issuing magistrate judge's probable cause determination. United States v. Leake, 998 F.2d 1359, 1362 (6th Cir.1993); United States v. Duncan, 918 F.2d 647, 650 (6th Cir.1990). 12 An affidavit supplies probable cause if, in the totality of circumstances, it indicates a fair probability that evidence of a crime will be found at the place to be searched. United States v. Bowling, 900 F.2d 926, 930 (6th Cir.1990), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 837 (1990). Direct evidence that a property contains contraband is not needed to establish probable cause to search that property. United States v. Angulo-Lopez, 791 F.2d 1394, 1399 (9th Cir.1986). This court has generally recognized that drug-related evidence is likely to be found where drug dealers live. United States v. Davidson, 936 F.2d 856, 860 (6th Cir.1991) (noting more generally that a magistrate judge may make reasonable inferences based on the type of offense alleged and the nature of the evidence sought). 13 In view of everything he was permitted to consider and infer, the magistrate judge reasonably found that there was a fair probability that drug-related evidence would be found at each of the houses searched. The 102-page affidavit indisputably supplies probable cause to believe that Dillehay was involved in an on-going drug-trafficking business until his arrest. The affidavit also links that business to the houses searched and describes controlled cocaine purchases made in 1991 at 580 Wildwood and at 1914 Auten. Thus, both homes, owned by Dillehay, were used to transact drug business. 4 The affidavit reflected a fair probability that drug-related evidence would be found at 580 Wildwood and 1914 Auten. 5 The district judge, in adopting the magistrate judge's recommendation, did not err in so concluding and did not err in overruling Dillehay's motion to suppress evidence seized from those homes.