Opinion ID: 499737
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Search and Seizure Claims1

Text: 8 In applying for the telephonic warrant, the Assistant United States Attorney recited to the magistrate facts relayed by DEA Agent Daniel McCarthy. McCarthy was on the line and confirmed at the close of the AUSA's presentation that those facts were truthful to the best of [his] knowledge and belief. However, neither the AUSA nor Agent McCarthy was placed under oath or otherwise formally sworn. 9 It is argued that the warrant was invalid as violative both of the fourth amendment's command that warrants be supported by oath or affirmation and Fed.R.Crim.P. 41(c)(2)(D)'s requirement that the magistrate immediately place under oath each person whose testimony forms a basis of the application and each person applying for that warrant. However, suppression in the instant case is not warranted because of the good faith exception to the exclusionary rule. See United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, 104 S.Ct. 3405, 82 L.Ed.2d 677 (1984); Massachusetts v. Sheppard, 468 U.S. 981, 104 S.Ct. 3424, 82 L.Ed.2d 737 (1984). Because the failure to put the agent formally under oath was obviously an oversight, the agents' reliance on the facially valid warrant was clearly reasonable under the circumstances, and this claim must be rejected. 10 The search warrant issued by the magistrate on October 29, 1985 authorized the seizure of the following: 11 (a) quantities of cocaine base and cocaine base [sic] and cocaine hydrochloride; 12 (b) various powders and dilutents used to mix cocaine; 13 (c) various chemicals used in the cocaine conversion process, including ether, acetone and hydrochloride [sic] acid; 14 (d) various equipment used in the laboratory conversion of cocaine, including fans, suction pumps, ovens, hoses and large rubber garbage cans; 15 (e) various narcotics-related paraphernalia, including baggies, scales and other items used to test and package cocaine; 16 (g) [sic] currency and other valuables used to purchase cocaine and/or reflect the proceeds of sales of cocaine; 17 (f) [sic] books and other records containing the names, addresses and/or telephone numbers of narcotics purchasers and/or suppliers, prices and quantities of narcotics sold and/or purchased, and/or other cash transactions, which books and records would reveal the identities of confederates in narcotics trafficking as well as the extent of their involvement. 18 Matias, Sr. argues that the execution of the warrant degenerated into a general, exploratory search and, therefore, that the entire fruits of the search must be suppressed. Alternatively, he argues that even if there were no general unrestricted search, certain documents and photographs seized must be suppressed as outside the scope of the warrant. 19 A search must be confined to the terms and limitations of the warrant authorizing it. Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388, 394 n. 7, 91 S.Ct. 1999, 2004 n. 7, 29 L.Ed.2d 619 (1971). The Supreme Court has also stated that searches involving documents must be conducted in a manner that minimizes unwarranted intrusions upon privacy. Andresen v. Maryland, 427 U.S. 463, 482 n. 11, 96 S.Ct. 2737, 2749 n. 11, 49 L.Ed.2d 627 (1976). However, when items outside the scope of a valid warrant are seized, the normal remedy is suppression and return of those items, not invalidation of the entire search. Id.; United States v. Dunloy, 584 F.2d 6, 11 n. 4 (2d Cir.1978). Courts have also indicated that the drastic remedy of the suppression of all evidence seized is not justified unless those executing the warrant acted in flagrant disregard of the warrant's terms. United States v. Medlin, 798 F.2d 407, 411 (10th Cir.1986); United States v. Crozier, 777 F.2d 1376, 1381 (9th Cir.1985); United States v. Lambert, 771 F.2d 83, 93 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1034, 106 S.Ct. 598, 88 L.Ed.2d 577 (1985); Marvin v. United States, 732 F.2d 669, 674-75 (8th Cir.1984); United States v. Wuagneux, 683 F.2d 1343, 1354 (11th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 814, 104 S.Ct. 69, 78 L.Ed.2d 83 (1983); United States v. Heldt, 668 F.2d 1238, 1259 (D.C.Cir.1981) (per curiam), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 926, 102 S.Ct. 1971, 72 L.Ed.2d 440 (1982). 20 However, we fail to perceive how these principles are implicated on the present record because there was no widespread seizure of items that were not within the scope of the warrant. The government did offer to return an eyeglass case and some other nondocumentary items, but the documents and photographs that are the foundation for the claim of an unconstitutional wholesale search were properly seized under the authority of the warrant. 21 Paragraph (f) of the warrant authorized seizure of books and records [that] would reveal the identities of confederates in narcotics trafficking as well as the extent of their involvement. The disputed items clearly fall within this authorization. For example, receipts for materials used to build the barn that housed the cocaine processing laboratory aided in identifying the conspirators and in proving the extent of their individual involvement. Ownership records for the property were similarly relevant to determining the identity of participants in the conspiracy. Finally, given the fact that the agents were aware from their surveillance that the participants in the conspiracy were Hispanic males, many of the photographs seized may reasonably be considered records identifying additional participants in criminal activity. Indeed, Luis Garcia was pictured in some of the photos. Judge Wexler thus correctly denied the suppression motion.