Opinion ID: 183984
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Execution of State Search Warrant

Text: In mid-November, 2006, Detective Vanadia, a forensic specialist at the Computer Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, received the hard drives. Vanadia had been instructed to search only for evidence of financial crimes and told that if he came across child pornography, he was to stop his review and contact the Secret Service. Appx. at A-528, A-562, A-580-81, A-727-28. With these instructions, Detective Vanadia commenced his forensic hard drive search. He began with the 120 GB hard drive (Western Digital 120 GB 3.5 inch HDD, Ser # WMAAT2323593). During this search, Vanadia noted numerous suspicious folders. One such folder was entitled Kazvid. Vanadia understood this folder to reference Kazaa, a peer-to-peer file sharing program used to share music, movies, pictures, and programs. Appx. at A-532. Vanadia also testified that, in his experience, Kazaa has been used to share and distribute child pornography. Detective Vanadia then highlighted the Kazvid folder, a procedure that allowed him to view a list of file names contained in the folder. Vanadia later testified that he highlighted the Kazvid folder not because it necessarily contained child pornography but becauseas a suspicious folderit could harbor evidence of any sort of crime, including a financial crime. Appx. at A-536-37, A-581-82. Vanadia also testified that, in his experience, people hoping to conceal the contents of a folder or file would often mislabel or otherwise disguise those folders or files. Appx. at A-537, A-582. However, Vanadia did acknowledge that when he viewed the file names in the Kazvid folder, the thought that it may contain child pornography did cross his mind. Appx. at A-588. After highlighting the Kazvid folder, Detective Vanadia observed a list of file names with file extensions indicating video files and file names suggestive of child pornography. [5] At this point, although Vanadia admitted that he suspected child pornography and did not believe these video files contained evidence of financial crimes, Vanadia proceeded to open twelve different video files within the Kazvid folder. Appx. at A-534-35, A-591-92. Vanadia testified that he opened these twelve files to confirm that they contained child pornography rather than something else (such as adult pornography). Appx. at A-534-35, A-591-92. After confirming that these files did contain child pornography, Vanadia contacted the prosecutor, who instructed Vanadia to cease his review of the hard drive. Agent Albanese was notified of Vanadia's findings.