Opinion ID: 509534
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Probable Cause for Electronic Surveillance

Text: 24 Much of the government's evidence in the present case was obtained through electronic surveillance of the home of Esposito and the offices of SVR and Beaumont pursuant to a series of court orders commencing in October 1985, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2518 (1982 & Supp. II 1984) (amended by Pub.L. No. 99-508, 100 Stat. 1851-53, 1856, 1857 (1986)). Prior to trial, Esposito moved unsuccessfully to suppress the information derived from the surveillances on the ground that there was insufficient probable cause for the issuance of the first such order. This contention, renewed here, lacks merit and does not require extended discussion. 25 To the extent pertinent here, Sec. 2518 allowed a federal court to authorize interception of oral or wire communications if it determined, on the basis of the facts submitted by the applicant, that there was probable cause to believe (a) that an individual was committing, had committed, or was about to commit an offense enumerated in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2516 (1982 & Supp. II 1984) (amended by Pub.L. No. 99-508, 100 Stat. 1851, 1855 (1986) and Pub.L. No. 99-570, 100 Stat. 3207-35 (1986)), (b) that particular communications concerning that offense would be obtained through such interception, and (c) that the facilities to be surveilled were being used or were about to be used in connection with the commission of such an offense. 18 U.S.C. Secs. 2518(3)(a), (b), and (d). The standard of probable cause applicable to Sec. 2518 is the same as the standard for a regular search warrant, United States v. Fury, 554 F.2d 522, 530 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 433 U.S. 910, 97 S.Ct. 2978, 53 L.Ed.2d 1095 (1977), and a reviewing court will defer to the issuing court's determination that there was probable cause as long as there existed a substantial basis for a magistrate or judge to conclude that a search would uncover evidence of wrong-doing, United States v. Nersesian, 824 F.2d 1294, 1306 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 357, 98 L.Ed.2d 382 (1987). There was no lack of probable cause in the present case. 26 The original surveillance order was entered on the basis of lengthy and detailed affidavits of an FBI agent setting forth, inter alia, information obtained through physical surveillances of certain individuals by law enforcement agents and information provided by a number of confidential informants whose reliability had been proven over a span of 2-15 years. The details set forth in the affidavits, which remain under seal, furnished a substantial basis for believing that the individuals identified were using or were about to use the targeted premises for the commission of acts in violation of the racketeering statute, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1963 (1982), which is one of the offenses enumerated in Sec. 2516. The facts that the anticipated offenses were unrelated to the subject matter of the present prosecution and that Biaggi was not mentioned in the application does not impair the conclusion that the information presented in the application provided probable cause for the issuance of the surveillance authorization. The motion to suppress was properly denied.