Opinion ID: 760837
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Search of McClellan's Residence in Tucson, Arizona

Text: 15 On January 23, 1997, just one week after the foregoing turn of events in Indiana, Vickie Lucio (Lucio), a DEA agent, petitioned the United States District Court for the District of Arizona for an additional search warrant to search McClellan's residence in Tucson, Arizona, at 2670 East Summit. The affidavit Lucio submitted in support of the Arizona search warrant alleged, inter alia: 16 2. DEA Special Agent Joseph Kirkland initially received information from a Source of Information (SOI) that an individual named Ottis [sic] McClellan, who resides at 2670 E. Summit, Tucson, AZ., was preparing to transport approximately 600 pounds of marijuana from Tucson, AZ to Pittsburgh, PA. Tucson Electric Company verified that the utilities at 2760 E. Summit, are in the name of Ottis [sic] McClellan. 17 3. The SOI ... has previously assisted Ottis [sic] McClellan in the transportation of narcotics from the Tucson, AZ area, to various locations, on at least 7 occasions. The SOI, stated to DEA agents, that the normal manner which McClellan and his associates transport the narcotics is through utilizing three or four vehicles, each carrying a portion of the narcotic load. 18 4. The SOI has informed the DEA that one of the vehicles that McClellan would be utilizing would be a red and white, 1986, Ford F-250, 4 X 4, super cab pick-up truck, bearing Indiana license. Surveillance had observed that aforementioned pick-up truck at the residence located at 2760 E. Summit, Tucson, AZ, on January 6, 1997, through January 14, 1997 on several occasions.... 19 5. According to the SOI, during the week of January 5, 1997, McClellan had contacted the SOI on several occasions to make arrangements for the SOI's travel to the Tucson, AZ area, in order to assist in the transportation of the narcotics. 20 6. Subsequent to McClellan's initial plan, the SOI was contacted by McClellan and was told not to travel to Tucson, AZ and not to contact McClellan on his home phone. Additionally, McClellan told the SOI that he would travel from Tucson, AZ to Indiana because of a change in plans. 21 7. After receiving information from the SOI concerning the arrival of Ottis [sic] McClellan in Indiana, DEA Agents of the Indianapolis Office subsequently initiated surveillance of McClellan on January 15, 1997, upon his arrival in Indiana until his arrest on January 18, 1997. 22 8. On January 18, 1997, five (5) persons were arrested in possession of 210 pounds of marijuana at the Budget Inn located in Daleville, Indiana, including Ottis [sic] McClellan.... [Donna] Brewer also stated to Indiana DEA Agents that she had seen Ottis [sic] McClellan back-up his pick-up truck to a storage facility, located at the residence on Summit and unload bundles of marijuana into the storage facility. 23 9. Brewer also stated that, in the past, she has delivered monetary proceeds ... from the sale of the narcotics to Ottis [sic] McClellan's residence, located at 2760 E. Summit, Tucson, AZ. She further stated that she believes that there are further drug proceeds at the residence. 24 The district judge concluded that these allegations were sufficient to establish probable cause and issued a search warrant for McClellan's home. The subsequent search of the residence uncovered materials commonly used in the packaging and transportation of marijuana, products to mask the scent of the drug from canine sniffs, and documents necessary to confirm that McClellan, in fact, lived there.