People v. Acevedo

209 Cal. App. 4th 1040, 147 Cal. Rptr. 3d 467, 2012 WL 4553090, 2012 Cal. App. LEXIS 1038
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 3, 2012
DocketNo. B220081
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 209 Cal. App. 4th 1040 (People v. Acevedo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Acevedo, 209 Cal. App. 4th 1040, 147 Cal. Rptr. 3d 467, 2012 WL 4553090, 2012 Cal. App. LEXIS 1038 (Cal. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

Opinion

CHANEY, J.

The appellants were arrested on charges arising from seizures of over 350 kilograms of cocaine, 50 pounds of methamphetamine, 650 pounds of marijuana, firearms, and more than $1.2 million in illegal proceeds, [1046]*1046resulting from investigations involving court-authorized wiretaps. After being convicted on drug trafficking charges, they challenge the trial court’s refusal to compel discovery of redacted and sealed portions of the documentation supporting the wiretap authorization orders, and its refusal to suppress the resulting wiretap and other evidence that led to their arrest. These rulings, they contend, violated their rights under state and federal law. We will affirm.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

A 14-count information, filed October 31, 2008, charged appellants Rufino Acevedo, Steven Montes, Augustin Alvarez and Omar Cruz (and one other person not a party to this appeal) with some or all of the following crimes: conspiracy to commit possession and transportation of cocaine for sale (Pen. Code, § 182, subd. (a)(1));1 Health & Saf. Code, §§ 11351, 11352); possession for sale, and transportation, of a controlled substance (cocaine) (Health & Saf. Code, §§ 11351, 11352, subd. (a)); possession of money or instruments over $100,000 from sales of cocaine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.6, subd. (a)); and false compartment activity (Health & Saf. Code, § 11366.8, subd. (a)).2 The information also alleged weight enhancements with respect to the controlled substances, ranging from one to 80 kilograms. (Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.4, subd. (a)(1), (6).)

Appellants pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations. After their motions for discovery of wiretap documentation and to suppress wiretap evidence were denied, they pleaded no contest and were convicted.

Appellants’ contentions in this appeal arise from the trial court’s denial of their motions for discovery of unredacted documents supporting the wiretaps that led to their arrests, and for suppression of the evidence resulting from the wiretaps.

The Wiretap Orders

Between November 3, 2005, and April 2006, law enforcement agencies obtained orders signed by Judges Larry P. Fidler and Curtis B. Rappé of the Los Angeles Superior Court (joined in one instance by a judge of the Riverside Superior Court) authorizing seven wiretaps involving 14 cell phones allegedly used by Montes. The orders included the magistrates’ findings of probable cause to believe that defendant Montes and others “have [1047]*1047committed, are committing and are about to commit” specified drug trafficking offenses, that communications concerning the crimes would be obtained by requested wiretap interceptions, and that “[n]ormal investigative procedures have been tried and have failed and appear to be unlikely to succeed if tried and/or are too dangerous.” (See § 629.52.) Each of the orders also provided that the order, the application supporting it, and the intercepted communications would be sealed pursuant to the official information privileges and procedures of Evidence Code sections 1040 through 1042, and the decision in People v. Hobbs (1994) 7 Cal.4th 948 [30 Cal.Rptr.2d 651, 873 P.2d 1246] (Hobbs).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
209 Cal. App. 4th 1040, 147 Cal. Rptr. 3d 467, 2012 WL 4553090, 2012 Cal. App. LEXIS 1038, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-acevedo-calctapp-2012.