State v. Bustamante-Davila

138 Wash. 2d 964
Washington Supreme Court·Decided September 9, 1999·No. No. 67320-9·Published·Cited by 77 cases

Opinions

Smith, J.

— Petitioner Jorge Luis Rustamante-Davila seeks discretionary review of an unpublished decision of the Court of Appeals, Division Two, affirming his conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree under RCW 9.41.040(l)(b). The Court of Appeals concluded the firearm was not seized illegally by police officers who permissively entered Petitioner’s mobile home with an Immigration and Naturalization Service agent, under a presumptively valid deportation order, although Petitioner was not informed he had a right to refuse entry into his home. We affirm.

QUESTION PRESENTED

The question presented in this case is whether, under [967] State v. Ferrier,1 a firearm was illegally seized from Petitioner’s mobile home after he granted entry to a United States Immigration and Naturalization Service agent accompanied by local police officers to serve a deportation order issued by an immigration judge when Petitioner was not advised of his right to refuse entry.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

On March 5, 1997, an agent of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) went to Petitioner’s mobile home in Kelso, Cowlitz County, to arrest him under a “removal order” issued by an immigration judge.2 3At the time, the INS agent did not know Petitioner had filed a timely appeal on February 27, 19973 and that a stay had been granted.4 The agent did not know why notification of the appeal had not reached him.5 He had no arrest warrant, but was “going on the order of the immigration judge.”6 The State was not certain whether the INS agent had authority to arrest Petitioner for the immigration violation, although the agent in good faith be-_

[968] lieved he did have authority when he went to Petitioner’s residence.7

The INS agent testified it was his normal practice to ask for “backup” from local law enforcement officers.8 He had requested assistance that day because he had a number of cases in the area.9 He was accompanied to Petitioner’s residence by at least four law enforcement officers from the Cowlitz County Sheriffs office and Longview Police Department.10 At least one officer testified he had been told Petitioner was to be deported.11

The INS agent knocked at the door of Petitioner’s residence (a single-wide mobile home).12 When Petitioner came to a window, the agent showed him his badge.13 Petitioner testified he recognized the agent.14 Petitioner testified he also saw police officers from the window.15 Petitioner opened the door.16 At the suppression hearing in the Cowlitz County Superior Court on April 14, 1997 the Honorable Don L. McCulloch made a finding of fact that the INS agent “asked permission to enter and the defendant responded af[969] firmatively stepping back.”17 The agent also testified that “at least two other County officers” were standing with him when he asked for consent to enter.18 Petitioner testified he replied, “Yeah. You can come.”19 Petitioner stepped aside, and the INS agent and law enforcement officers entered.20 After hearing voices inside the mobile home, the police officer at the rear of the home came to the front and entered.21

After the INS agent entered the residence, he told Petitioner he was under arrest for an immigration violation.22 The agent told Petitioner to gather any belongings he might want because he would probably not be returning to his home.23 As the agent followed Petitioner back to his bedroom, he noticed a rifle leaning against a wall of the living room.24 The agent knew Petitioner was not a United States citizen, had been deported, and had unlawfully reentered the country, and therefore was not lawfully permitted to possess a firearm.25 A Longview police officer who entered with the agent also observed “the rifle standing against the west living room wall in plain view.”26 He called it to the attention of the officer who had initially been outside at the rear of the residence but later entered [970] it.27 This officer “asked the defendant if the rifle was his and Petitioner acknowledged it was.”28 This officer “knew that the defendant was both an alien and a convicted felon.”29

Petitioner was initially charged on March 5, 1997 with unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree (by a convicted felon). The prior felony conviction was for rape of a child in the third degree.30 The charge was later amended on May 12, 1997 to unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree under RCW 9.41.040(l)(b).31

RCW 9.41.040(l)(a) and (b) read:

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

State v. Bustamante-Davila, 138 Wash. 2d 964 (Wash. 1999).

138 Wash. 2d 964 (State v. Bustamante-Davila) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

State of Washington v. Ferencz Gabor Verebi
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2025
State of Washington v. William R. Huddleston
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2025
State Of Washington, V Juan M. Otero Torres
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2024
State Of Washington, V. Mary Margaret Mercedes
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2023
State Of Washington, V. Zachery K. Meredith
492 P.3d 198 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2021)
State Of Washington v. Edward Francis Waller
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2018
State v. Blockman
416 P.3d 1194 (Washington Supreme Court, 2018)
State v. Baird
386 P.3d 239 (Washington Supreme Court, 2016)
State v. Budd
Washington Supreme Court, 2016
State of Washington v. Michael Allen Budd
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2015
State v. Budd
347 P.3d 49 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2015)
State v. Witherrite
339 P.3d 992 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2014)
State v. Russell
330 P.3d 151 (Washington Supreme Court, 2014)
State v. Ruem
313 P.3d 1156 (Washington Supreme Court, 2013)
State v. Westvang
301 P.3d 64 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2013)
State v. Dancer
300 P.3d 475 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2013)
State Of Washington v. Samuel Fairbanks
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2013
State v. Monaghan
266 P.3d 222 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2012)
State v. RUEM
251 P.3d 929 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2011)
Bonneville v. Pierce County
202 P.3d 309 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2009)