Court Opinion

ID: 9495109
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 15:54:22.315205+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:56:48.712818
License: Public Domain

*200KING, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I am pleased to concur in Judge Motz’s excellent analysis and application of the good faith exception enumerated by the Supreme Court in United States v. Leon. I write separately, however, because I believe this search warrant to be properly supported and to have been properly issued.
First of all, we must recognize that Agent Peterson and his colleagues did most everything right. They assessed their evidence; they prepared their affidavit and paperwork for the search warrant application; they took their information and papers to an Assistant United States Attorney for review and critique; they obtained the approval of the prosecutor for what they were about to do; they placed their affidavit before the sitting United States Magistrate Judge in Richmond for an independent judicial assessment; they obtained the duly issued search warrant from the Magistrate Judge; and then, as Judge Motz properly concludes, they executed the warrant in good faith. See Massachusetts v. Sheppard, 468 U.S. 981, 989, 104 S.Ct. 3424, 82 L.Ed.2d 737 (1984) (“The officers in this case took every step that could reasonably be expected of them.”). Accordingly, as Judge Motz says, Agent Peterson and the officers executing the warrant were fully entitled to rely on its validity.
Turning to the sufficiency of the warrant, we must look to the totality of the circumstances to assess whether a search warrant affidavit supports a finding of probable cause. See Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 238, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983); United States v. Gillenwaters, 890 F.2d 679, 682 (4th Cir.1989). In this instance, the search warrant was issued by a capable and experienced Magistrate Judge, and even if doubt existed, we should find it to be valid. United States v. McQuisten, 795 F.2d 858, 861 (9th Cir. 1986) (“In doubtful cases, preference should be given to the validity of the warrant.”). Under the applicable principles, the Magistrate Judge need only possess a “substantial basis for concluding that a search would uncover evidence of wrongdoing.” Gates, 462 U.S. at 236, 103 S.Ct. 2317 (citation and quotation omitted). And we have consistently held that we owe great deference to the magistrate’s assessment of the facts in making a determination of probable cause. See, e.g., United States v. Williams, 974 F.2d 480, 481 (4th Cir.1994) (citing, inter alia, United States v. Blackwood, 913 F.2d 139, 142 (4th Cir.1990)). In fact, to establish probable cause, the information presented to the magistrate “need only 'warrant a man of reasonable caution’ to believe that evidence of a crime will be found.” Williams, 974 F.2d at 481 (quoting Texas v. Brown, 460 U.S. 730, 742, 103 S.Ct. 1535, 75 L.Ed.2d 502 (1983) (plurality opinion)).
I fully agree with Judge Motz that this case presents an entirely different factual situation from that in United States v. Wilhelm, 80 F.3d 116 (4th Cir.1996). As she properly posits, “a proven, reliable informant is entitled to far more credence than an unknown, anonymous tipster,” ante at 197, and “the affidavit provided explicit corroboration ... far exceeding] that in the affidavit at issue in Wilhelm.” Ante at 197. The Magistrate Judge, based on Agent Peterson’s affidavit, possessed a substantial basis for concluding that the search of Bynum’s residence in Richmond would uncover evidence of drug trafficking.* In assessing the issue of probable *201cause, he had before him several pertinent facts weighing in its favor: (1) this was a known and reliable confidential source; (2) Bynum was a felon and a drug dealer, who had three months earlier used this very residence in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes; (3) a search of this residence three months earlier had uncovered illegal narcotics; (4) a large quantity of heroin was observed by the source being packaged and sold no more than three days earlier; and (5) Bynum controlled the premises to be searched. While the veracity, reliability and basis of knowledge of a confidential source are relevant, they are “simply factors to be considered” in examining the circumstances and in considering “the total information available.” United States v. Miller; 925 F.2d 695, 699 (4th Cir.1991) (discussing existence of probable cause to arrest).
In sum, Agent Peterson’s affidavit, as presented to the Magistrate Judge,, contained substantial and pertinent information from which probable cause could be found. When evaluated in context — in the totality of the circumstances — this affidavit made a compelling case that there was drug activity afoot in the Richmond residence of a known drug trafficker.
Because I believe this warrant to have been validly issued, I would find it unnecessary to reach the good faith issue. All that said, I am pleased to concur with Judge Motz on that point.

 The affidavit of Agent Peterson, dated May 25, 2000, gave the Magistrate Judge the following pertinent information: (1) Bynum lived at (and thus controlled) the premises to be *201searched; (2) Bynum had previously used the residence in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; (3) Bynum was a convicted felon; (4) a prior search on February 10, 2000, yielded massive evidence of drug crimes; (5) a confidential source, proven reliable in the past, identified Bynum as a heroin dealer; and (6) within the previous 72 hours, the source had observed a large quantity of heroin inside Bynum’s residence, and he had observed By-num packaging and delivering some of the drugs.