Opinion ID: 854253
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Trooper Dollar

Text: Trooper Dollar articulated several factors informing his suspicion that Wallstrum was engaging in criminal activity. For example, Wallstrum exhibited extreme nervousness in explaining his travel itinerary, and the explanation itself was discredited. Wallstrum had indicated that Amarillo was as far west as he had traveled, but this was contradicted by the New Mexico hotel receipt Trooper Dollar saw in the front seat. Additionally, the rental agreement had been expired for three days. Trooper Dollar also observed several food and drink containers, indicating “hard” travel that was inconsistent with the trip Wallstrum described. Finally, the close proximity of the cars indicated that Wallstrum may have been traveling in tandem with one of the other vehicles, which is common in drug trafficking. Trooper Dollar’s search revealed 11 Case: 11-11228 Document: 00512162491 Page: 12 Date Filed: 03/04/2013 No. 11-11228 tampering with several areas of the car, which was consistent with his drug trafficking suspicion. These factors were sufficient to provide Trooper Dollar with reasonable suspicion to justify the request to search and continued detention. The evidence gathered from the Camry was thus properly obtained. See Brigham, 382 F.3d at 512.