Opinion ID: 2979166
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 1117 Plum Run Road

Text: Montgomery’s complete argument concerning probable cause for the search warrant issued for 1117 Plum Run Road is contained in one short paragraph of his appellate brief: . . . concerning the 1117 Plum Run Road address, the warrant itself provided for the search of 1197 Plum Run Road. Three of the first four houses on Plum Run Road actually fit the description provided. The warrant was not sufficient as it failed to describe the location with sufficient particularity. Brief of Defendant-Appellant, 49. The government concedes, as it must, that the address listed in the search warrant as the address to be searched was off by one digit in that it stated the address as 1197 Plum Run Road instead of 1117 Plum Run Road. 17 No. 08-5898 United States v. Montgomery The particularity requirement for a search warrant is met “if the description is such that the officer with a search warrant can, with reasonable effort ascertain and identify the place intended.” Steele v. United States, 267 U.S. 498, 503 (1925). In determining whether the description of the place to be searched is sufficient, the inquiry is whether the place to be searched is described with sufficient particularity “‘to enable the executing officer to locate and identify the premises with reasonable effort, and whether there is any reasonable probability that another premise might be mistakenly searched.’” United States v. Durk, 149 F.3d 464, 465 (6th Cir. 1998) (quoting United States v. Gahagan, 865 F.2d 1490, 1496 (6th Cir.1989)). Thus, an incorrect description of the premises does not automatically invalidate the warrant. We find the particularity requirement of the Fourth Amendment to have been met here. Although the premises are referred to in the search warrant as 1197 Plum Run Road, the warrant contains a detailed description of the premises as a “single story brown brick residence with black shutters and white trim.” The residence has a “shingle style roof and a concrete driveway.” The search warrant also had precise directions to the residence and had detailed descriptions of automobiles located on the premises. Attached to the warrant was a photograph of the residence to be searched. Under these circumstances, there was no reasonable probability that the executing officer might mistakenly search one of the other three houses on the street that fit the description of the premises to be searched. 18 No. 08-5898 United States v. Montgomery