Opinion ID: 480744
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: An Illegal Arrest?

Text: 31 After receiving Garza's call on the morning of June 6, authorities entered the Bazan ranch and arrested both Bazan and Flores. Two pistols, a small amount of marijuana, and lidocaine (a substance used to cut cocaine) were seized from Flores' purse and cloth make-up bag. She argues here that these items should have been suppressed because they were obtained pursuant to an illegal arrest. We disagree. 32 Flores maintains that she is in the same position as the appellant in Ybarra v. Illinois, 444 U.S. 85, 100 S.Ct. 338, 62 L.Ed.2d 238 (1979). In that case, Ybarra was a patron of the Aurora Tap Tavern, and the police had a warrant to search the tavern as well as its bartender. The Court held that this warrant was an insufficient basis on which to search Ybarra, who was merely present in the tavern. The Court explained that [t]here is no reason to suppose that, when the search warrant was issued ... the authorities had probable cause to believe that any person found on the premises of the Aurora Tap Tavern, aside from [the bartender], would be violating the law. Id. at 90, 100 S.Ct. at 341-42. In the instant case, by contrast, there was good reason to suppose that any person found on the Bazan ranch immediately after Garza's telephone call to Mathews would be violating the law. Unlike the Aurora Tap Tavern, the Bazan ranch is not open to members of the general public; it is both private and fenced. Moreover, Flores was a passenger in the pickup truck Bazan was driving when he cut his fence in an effort to escape. The arrest of Flores was based on probable cause and there was no reason to suppress the items found in her purse. 33 The other points of error raised by appellants are meritless. Flores' conviction for two conspiracies is reversed, and the case is remanded with instructions to enter judgment of conviction for only one conspiracy and for resentencing of Flores accordingly. In all other respects the judgment of the district court is affirmed. 34 AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND REMANDED.