Opinion ID: 166596
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 3 On August 26, 2003, Utah County law enforcement officers responded to a report of an unattended child at Brooks's house. When they arrived, they detected the odor of marijuana inside the residence. Thereafter, they obtained a search warrant (the first warrant) authorizing a search for items associated with marijuana use. During their search the following day they found a substantial amount of what appeared to be child pornography in one of Brooks's garbage cans. After this discovery, officers obtained another warrant on August 27, 2003 (the second warrant) authorizing a search of Brooks's home, including any computer equipment, for child pornography. They also contacted Special Agent Brian Snyder, an FBI agent with experience in child pornography and child exploitation investigations, to assist with their search. Law enforcement executed the warrant on the same day. 4 Since the pornographic images found in Brooks's garbage appeared to have been printed from a computer printer, officers assume[d] that there [was] possibly more child pornography on the [home] computer[.] ROA, Vol. IV at 11. Accordingly, upon his arrival Agent Snyder requested permission from Brooks to search Brooks's computer. Snyder explained to Brooks that the search would involve inserting a pre-search disk into his computer. Although the record is unclear as to precisely how the disk functioned, it apparently contained a program that searched for image files and displayed the images in a thumbnail format so a viewer could easily ascertain whether the images included child pornography. Agent Snyder further explained to Brooks that the disk would not search for text files, but would search for and display only image files. 5 Brooks told Snyder that he had nothing to hide and agreed to sign a search consent form. The form stated that Brooks (1) had been asked by the FBI to authorize a complete search including a pre-search for child pornography of his computer tower; (2) had been advised of his right to refuse consent; (3) gave his consent voluntarily; and (4) authorized agents to take any items they determined were related to their investigation. ROA, Vol. IV, Exhibit F. 6 After obtaining Brooks's consent to search the computer, Snyder went to the computer and inserted the pre-search disk. The computer was already turned on. For reasons the record does not make clear, the disk did not function on the computer. Thus, Agent Snyder decided to attempt a manual search for image files through the computer's file search function. He was unable to complete the manual review, however, because Brooks's computer prompted him to enter a password. Snyder therefore returned to Brooks and asked him for the password to the computer, which Brooks told him was the same as the log-on password. After this conversation Agent Snyder went back to Brooks's computer and completed the process of a manual image file search. 7 Snyder located several images of adolescent male boys engaged in sexual activity. He did not view or open any text files. After Snyder viewed the images, officers shut down the computer and seized it. They subsequently obtained a third warrant authorizing a search of three computers, twelve compact disks, and seven diskettes located at Brooks's residence. This forensic search was carried out at a police laboratory. 8 Brooks later moved to suppress the pornographic images found during (1) Snyder's manual search, and (2) the laboratory's forensic search. The district court denied the motion. Brooks then entered a conditional guilty plea on May 3, 2004, and on October 14, 2004, the United States District Court for the District of Utah sentenced him to 88 months in prison and 156 months of supervised release. Pursuant to the conditional plea, Brooks filed this appeal.