Opinion ID: 515723
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Use of electronic surveillance.

Text: 19 Armone and Gallo contend that evidence and investigative leads derived from the electronic surveillance of co-conspirators Ruggiero and Castellano should have been suppressed for a variety of reasons. Specifically, they argue that the Castellano surveillance should be suppressed because probable cause was lacking to authorize such a search, and there was too long of a delay between the granting of the order authorizing the wiretaps and their actual installation. They assert that the Ruggiero surveillance should be suppressed because it was more extensive than authorized. Finally, Armone and Gallo contend that the evidence from both locations should be suppressed because there were improper delays in sealing the tapes obtained by electronic surveillance. We find all of these arguments to be without merit. 20 Between November 12, 1982 and July 28, 1983, eight court orders were issued by United States District Court Judges Bramwell and McLaughlin authorizing the government to conduct electronic surveillance of Castellano's home. Since FBI agents found it difficult, if not impossible, to enter Castellano's home to install the listening devices immediately after the granting of the first three orders, the actual surveillance did not begin until after March 7, 1983. Tapes obtained by electronic surveillance were sealed from 3 to 36 days after the expiration of the individual authorizing orders. All of the tapes were sealed prior to the expiration of the final authorizing order on August 4, 1983. In a related case, co-defendant Joseph Corrao made the same claims with regard to the Castellano surveillance as are advanced by appellants here, and they were rejected by United States District Court Judge Kram. United States v. Corrao, No. 86 Cr. 0556 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 8, 1988) (mem.). The trial court relied on Corrao in denying appellants' motion to suppress the Castellano surveillance.
21 An order authorizing electronic surveillance may be issued upon showing that communications pertaining to a designated offense will be obtained, and that there is probable cause to believe an offense has been, or is about to be committed. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2518(1)(b)(i) & (3)(a). The standard of probable cause governing electronic surveillance is the same as for any other search warrant. United States v. Fury, 554 F.2d 522, 530 (2d Cir.1977), cert. denied, 436 U.S. 931, 98 S.Ct. 2831, 56 L.Ed.2d 776 (1978). We are guided by the principle that a determination of probable cause should be paid great deference by reviewing courts. Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 236, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 2331, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983) (citation omitted). Thus, our role is merely to determine whether the issuing court had a substantial basis for concluding that electronic surveillance would uncover evidence of wrongdoing. Id. at 236-39, 103 S.Ct. at 2331-33. 22 We find that a substantial basis existed for the district court to conclude that a wiretap of the Castellano home would uncover evidence of unlawful activity. Electronic surveillance at another location provided probable cause to believe that organized crime activity was taking place at the Castellano home. A number of FBI confidential informants provided evidence of criminal activity and discussions of criminal activity occurring there. One informant, who had been cooperating with the FBI for eight years, stated that he personally took part in discussions of illegal activity at the Castellano home. In addition, physical observation of the home revealed the frequent presence of those alleged to be involved in the criminal activity. Viewing all of the evidence in its entirety, and testing it in common sense fashion, see United States v. Harris, 403 U.S. 573, 577, 91 S.Ct. 2075, 2079, 29 L.Ed.2d 723 (1971), we conclude that probable cause existed to order electronic surveillance of the Castellano home.
23 The government's delay in initiating the Castellano surveillance does not provide grounds for its suppression. The affidavit submitted by the government stated that it was impractical, if not physically impossible, for Special Agents of the FBI to effect surreptitious entry into [the Castellano home] for the purpose of installing interception devices, without significant likelihood of detection. We find this to be an adequate explanation for the delay. We further find that probable cause for the initial order authorizing electronic surveillance did not become stale during the delay, and that each extension of the order was independently supported by probable cause. We previously have determined that the principal factors in assessing whether or not the supporting facts have become stale are the age of those facts and the nature of the conduct alleged to have violated the law. United States v. Martino, 664 F.2d 860, 867 (2d Cir.1981), cert. denied, 458 U.S. 1110, 102 S.Ct. 3493, 73 L.Ed.2d 1373 (1982). The supporting affidavits in this case presented a picture of continuing conduct, id., as opposed to an isolated instance of wrongdoing. Thus, the passage of time between the last described act and the presentation of the application becomes less significant. Id. Furthermore, probable cause was freshened by visual surveillance of the Castellano home which revealed frequent new visits by Castellano's alleged criminal associates. The district court's refusal to suppress the fruits of the Castellano surveillance because of the delay in its initiation was proper.
24 Armone and Gallo also challenge the use of evidence derived from electronic surveillance of the home and phone of co-defendant Angelo Ruggiero. Between November 1981 and June 1982, six orders were issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York authorizing the government to conduct electronic surveillance of the home and phone of Ruggiero. Neither Armone nor Gallo were named as targets of the surveillance. The order issued on April 5, 1982 specified, inter alia, that the [i]nterception ... be suspended immediately when it is determined ... that none of the named interceptees ... are participants in the oral or wire conversations. Armone and Gallo contend that the government failed to comply with this restriction, and thus, all of the Ruggiero surveillance should be suppressed. We disagree. 25 Title 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2518(10)(a)(iii) provides that [a]ny aggrieved person may make a motion to suppress wiretap evidence when the interception was not made in conformity with the order of authorization. This provision, however, is to be construed in accordance with standing requirements usually applied to suppression claims under the fourth amendment. Alderman v. United States, 394 U.S. 165, 175-76 & n. 9, 89 S.Ct. 961, 967-68 n. 9, 22 L.Ed.2d 176 (1969); see S.Rep. No. 1097, 90th Cong., 2d Sess., reprinted in 1968 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 2112, 2179-80. The Supreme Court has held that suppression of the product of a Fourth Amendment violation can be successfully urged only by those whose rights were violated by the search itself, not by those who are aggrieved solely by the introduction of damaging evidence. Alderman, 394 U.S. at 171-72, 89 S.Ct. at 965-66. Here, the arguments advanced by Armone and Gallo do no more than assert Ruggiero's own right to minimize the surveillance of his home and phone. Defendants were not named as targets of the surveillance, nor were they part of the conversations that allegedly exceeded the restrictions contained in the authorizing order. Applying the usual standards governing claims of fourth amendment violations, we find that Armone and Gallo lack standing to contest the Ruggiero surveillance. See United States v. Fury, 554 F.2d 522, 526 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 433 U.S. 910, 97 S.Ct. 2978, 53 L.Ed.2d 1095 (1977).
26 Finally, defendants contend that evidence derived from both locations should be suppressed because of improper delays in sealing the tapes made of the surveillance. Title 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2518(8)(a) requires that tapes made by electronic surveillance be sealed [i]mmediately upon the expiration of the period of the order, or extensions thereof. Appellants' arguments are based on a misunderstanding of when the periods of the orders terminated. This court has previously determined that extensions,as used in the phrase period of the order, or extensions thereof is to be understood in a common sense fashion as encompassing all consecutive continuations of a wiretap order, however designated, where the surveillance involves the same telephone, the same premises, the same crimes, and substantially the same persons. 27 United States v. Vazquez, 605 F.2d 1269, 1278 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 981, 100 S.Ct. 484, 62 L.Ed.2d 408 (1979). Defendants' claims that there were delays in sealing tapes upon the expiration of some of the intermediate orders thus are not determinative of the issue before us. Evaluation of the orders issued shows that the Castellano home was subject to consecutive continuations of the wiretap order. Thus, the period of the order authorizing the Castellano surveillance ended with the termination of the final order on August 4, 1983. Since all of the Castellano tapes were sealed by August 2, 1983, the district court's denial of defendants' motion to suppress was proper. 28 The Ruggiero surveillance was conducted pursuant to six authorizing orders which fall into two groups, one covering the period from November 9, 1981 to March 6, 1982, and one covering the period from April 5, 1982 to July 7, 1982. In a related case, this court examined a sealing delay following the period ending July 7, 1982, and determined that the surveillance should not be suppressed. See United States v. Massino, 784 F.2d 153 (2d Cir.1986). On this appeal, Armone and Gallo contend that the sealing requirement was triggered by the expiration of an intermediate order on January 28, 1982. However, evaluation of the orders expiring on January 28, and beginning on February 4, show them to be consecutive continuations of the same wiretap order. Accordingly, we find the date of expiration which triggered the sealing requirement for the Ruggiero surveillance to be March 6, 1982. 29 Defendants next contend that the Ruggiero surveillance should be suppressed because it was not sealed until March 11, 1982. We disagree. It is well settled in this circuit that suppression is not automatically warranted when sealing is not immediate; rather, suppression is required when the government cannot satisfactorily explain the delay. See, e.g., Massino, 784 F.2d at 157; United States v. McGrath, 622 F.2d 36, 42 (2d Cir.1980); United States v. Gigante, 538 F.2d 502, 504 (2d Cir.1976). The government's explanation must be weighed against such factors as the length of delay, the absence of good faith, the time needed for administrative processing, and the prejudice to the defendant. See Massino, 784 F.2d at 157. We find that the government has satisfactorily explained the five-day sealing delay that occurred here. The authorizing order expired on March 6, 1982--a Saturday--rendering any action by the government on the next day impossible. The government then required 3 days--March 8, 9, and 10--for administrative processing, and the tapes were sealed on March 11, 1982. The record contains no evidence of bad faith on the part of the government, or of prejudice incurred on the part of the appellants. We therefore find no error in the district court's denial of defendants' motion to suppress the fruits of the Ruggiero surveillance. 30