State v. Baldwin

789 P.2d 1215, 242 Mont. 176
Montana Supreme Court·Decided April 12, 1990·No. 89-136·Published·Cited by 18 cases

Opinions

JUSTICE BARZ

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

Mark Baldwin appeals his conviction for criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to sell in the District Court of the Eleventh Judicial District, Flathead County. The District Court sentenced appellant to twenty years in the Montana State Prison, with five years suspended, imposed a $20,000 fine and designated appellant a dangerous offender. We affirm.

Appellant raises three issues on appeal:

1. Can probable cause for issuing a search warrant be based in part on documents obtained through an investigative subpoena the application for which contained material false statements?

2. Did the District Court erroneously deny appellant’s motion to suppress evidence seized during execution of a search warrant issued upon inadequate probable cause?

3. Did the District Court properly designate appellant a dangerous offender?

Deputy Flathead County attorney, Thomas J. Esch, applied for an investigative subpoena duces tecum for power and telephone records for appellant’s residence at 420 Sharon Road in Kalispell. Included in the application was a tip received by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department in 1983 regarding appellant’s alleged involvement in cocaine importation. The tipster stated appellant would travel to Seattle to pick up a quantity of raw lumber shipped from Colombia. [178] This shipment allegedly concealed cocaine. Joint observation by the Sheriffs Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that appellant did indeed travel to Seattle but was unable to collect the delivery described. Documentation of the shipment showed it contained raw Colombian lumber.

Esch also made part of his application a statement made by appellant’s ex-wife during a 1984 deposition taken in the course of their dissolution to the effect that appellant “is and always has been a drug dealer”. Additionally, the Flathead County Attorney in February, 1987, reported an anonymous tip that appellant concealed a hydroponic marijuana cultivation operation in his garage. After compiling the above data, Sgt. Rick Hawk of the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department then contacted a confidential informant whose statements were included in the application for investigative subpoena. According to this informant, appellant remodeled his garage so that it appeared to contain an apartment. However, a false wall in the building concealed appellant’s marijuana growing operation. Appellant reportedly had three associates, one of whom provided the initial cash investment. Each of the other two possessed 2,500 marijuana plants. Appellant reportedly had 2,500 mature plants, located both in his house and the garage, and 2,500 “starts.” The informant’s information derived primarily from a source close to appellant although the informant observed the grow operation in October or November of 1987.

Electricity usage records from Pacific Power and Light Company and telephone records from Northwestern Telephone Company were obtained from the subpoenas issued pursuant to the first application. The second application for an investigative subpoena duces tecum contained additional facts.

Records subpoenaed from Pacific Power and Light Company indicated that appellant’s residence was not heated by electricity. In addition, the account for 42014 Sharon Road was in the name of Mike Barker. Barker was also listed as the guarantor on appellant’s account. On Pacific Power and Light records appellant listed his employment as “disabled.” Sgt. Hawk drove by appellant’s residence at 420 Sharon Road and verified that an addition to the garage located on the property bore the number 42014. Esch set forth further information gleaned from public records, specifically a warranty Deed, and thus stated in his application that appellant paid $10,000 cash and other consideration for the property at 420 Sharon Road. The [179] application further stated that appellant, although without visible means of support, obtained “clear title” to this property.

Based upon respondent’s second application, the District Court issued subpoenas to Pacific Power and Light Company for 42014 Sharon Road, Montana Power Company for 420 and 42014 Sharon Road, Safeco Title Company and First Interstate Bank. In his application for a warrant to search Mark Baldwin’s residence for evidence of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and paraphernalia, Sgt. Hawk included information in addition to the above:

“Affiant is an officer with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department and has been so employed for 13 years.

“That he is currently assigned as Sergeant in charge of the Special Investigations Division of the Sheriff’s Department which primarily investigates drug offenses and has been thus engaged in drug investigations for the past 4 years.

“Affiant has an advanced certificate from the Montana Police Officers Standards Training Council (POST), and has approximately four years of investigative experience in general investigations with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department prior to his appointment to Special Investigations. Affiant has continued his education by attending police schools including the United States Drug Enforcement Agency Advanced Drug Investigation School, The Montana Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) Drug Commanders School and the Harris and Assoc. Drug Enforcement Seminar. Affiant also maintains membership in 2 professional organizations which are the International Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association, and the American Canadian Drug Conference. In addition this affiant has personally investigated in excess of 300 drug cases.

“Further investigation revealed that there is a natural gas line to the property. On 9-9-88 an investigative subpoena was served on Montana Power Company, records received as a result, indicate that both the house and shop have natural gas heating and hot water.

“That records obtained by subpoena from First Interstate Bank show that Mark purchased the property on Sharon Rd. from Jerry and Geri Galloway for $35,000.00, putting $7,750.00 as down payment, leaving a balance of $27,250. On 10-1-86 Mark paid the Galloways $10,000 dollars, and started making $350.00 per month payments. On 3-1-88 Mark paid off the Whitefish Credit Union and assumed the loan at the 1st Interstate Bank.

“That in a Residential Loan Application dated 2-5-88 and signed by Mark, he listed his employment as Treasure/Bookkeeper or [180] Kokanee Const. Corp. box 952, Kalispell, Mt. which he stated is a holding company. This affiant contacted the Montana Corporations Bureau who advised that Kokanee Const, was incorporated on 3-5-80 as a general construction company and was involuntarily dissolved on 12-15-82. There were no annual reports filed. This affiant then checked the current phone book, both white and yellow pages, and the Polk’s city directory, neither of which had a listing. This affiant then contacted the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce which has never heard of Kokanee Const., and the Montana Assoc, of Contractors which advised that Kokanee does not have a Contractors License in the state of Montana.

“That despite evidence as listed above that Mark Baldwin has no employment it appears that he was able to raise a substantial sum of money in 17 months to put down on and make payments on the property he purchased.

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State v. Baldwin, 789 P.2d 1215, 242 Mont. 176 (Mo. 1990).

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