Opinion ID: 2753614
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Subpoena Statutes

Text: Wheelock also contends Officer Hanson failed to follow proper procedure under both federal and Minnesota administrative subpoena statutes. First, the requirements in 18 U.S.C. § 3486 apply only to federal subpoenas and not to the subpoenas in this case—obtained pursuant to state law and issued by a state actor. See 18 U.S.C. § 3486(a)(1)(A) (discussing subpoenas issued by certain federal officers). Second, the Minnesota subpoena statute allows a county attorney to issue administrative subpoenas only “for records that are relevant to an ongoing legitimate law enforcement investigation.” Minn. Stat. § 388.23, subd. 1. Wheelock claims Officer Hanson violated this requirement by failing to provide a factual basis in his subpoena request from which the signing attorney could have made a “determination as to the legitimacy of the law enforcement investigation.” First, Officer Hanson requested retrievable information and certified “that the requested records [were] relevant to an ongoing, legitimate law enforcement investigation of Distribution of Child Pornography.” This is all the statute requires. Second, a violation of state subpoena procedures “would not warrant suppression of the evidence gained because federal courts in a federal prosecution do not suppress evidence that is seized by state officers in violation of state law, so long as the search complied with the Fourth Amendment.” United States v. Bach, 310 F.3d 1063, 1066 (8th Cir. 2002). Thus, neither statute warrants suppression. -6-