State v. Romo-Uriarie

97 P.3d 1051, 33 Kan. App. 2d 22, 2004 Kan. App. LEXIS 1069
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedMarch 19, 2004
Docket90,869, 90,870, 90,871
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 97 P.3d 1051 (State v. Romo-Uriarie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Romo-Uriarie, 97 P.3d 1051, 33 Kan. App. 2d 22, 2004 Kan. App. LEXIS 1069 (kanctapp 2004).

Opinion

Green, J.:

The State of Kansas appeals from a judgment of the trial court dismissing the charge of unlawful acts involving proceeds derived from violations of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act against the defendants Valeria Romo-Uriarie, Leroy J. Mader, and Aaron J. Fredrickson. The trial court determined that State v. McGrew, 29 Kan. App. 2d 1051, 36 P.3d 334 (2001), controlled. In McGrew, this court held that to be convicted of money laundering under K.S.A. 2000 Supp. 65-4142, “one other than defendant must fix'st derive proceeds from a violation of the Act, then those proceeds must be received or acquired by defendant in another transaction.” 29 Kan. App. 2d at 1054. Here, the trial court concluded that the State failed to show that this type of transaction had occurred and dismissed the charges. We determine that the rule established in McGrew is inapplicable to this case. As a result, we reverse and remand for reinstatement of the charges against the defendants.

Deputy William Maddux was in his patrol car on US-54 Highway, when he saw a car with Minnesota license plates traveling west on the highway. After observing the car travel over the right white line for approximately 100 to 150 feet, Maddux followed die car. He determined that the car was traveling 68 miles per hour in a 65 mile-per-hour speed zone. Maddux testified that when he got behind the car, it slowed to approximately 55 miles per hour. Maddux checked the Minnesota license tag, which came back clear. He stopped the car.

The car contained three occupants: Aaron J. Fredrickson, the driver; Leroy J. Mader, the front-seat passenger; and Valeria Romo-Uriarie, the back-seat passenger. Maddux asked Fredrick-son to get his driver s license and proof of insurance, to leave the car, and to get into the patrol car.

After Maddux and Fredrickson got into the patrol car, Maddux reviewed the driver s license and proof of insurance. Maddux asked Fredrickson questions regarding his relationship to the other oc *24 cupants of the car, their point of origin and destination, and the purpose for their trip. During the conversation, Fredrickson told Maddux that the other occupants were his parents, that drey had been visiting his brother, and that drey were traveling from Apple Valley, Minnesota, to Phoenix, Arizona. Fredrickson stated that he attended school in Phoenix, that his fadrer rebuilt alternators, and that his mother did not work. When Maddux asked Fredrickson how his parents would return to Minnesota, Fredrickson stated that they would fly back. Maddux asked Fredrickson where his parents lived, and he said they lived in Phoenix. When Maddux inquired about the inconsistency, Fredrickson said that he had misunderstood the previous question.

Maddux left Fredrickson in the patrol car and went to talk with Mader and Romo-Uriarie. Mader and Romo-Uriarie told Maddux that they were not married to each other and Fredrickson was not their son. They stated that Fredrickson had been their friend since the summer of 2002. Romo-Uriarie stated that she had lived in Phoenix for 12 years, and Mader indicated that he had lived in Phoenix since the summer of 2002. Mader told Maddux they had gone to Minnesota to get a “semi” from Fredrickson’s father to haul produce out of Arizona.

After talking with Mader and Romo-Uriarie, Maddux suspected that criminal activity had been, was being, or was about to be committed. As a result, he called for assistance from Deputy Tracy Chance, a K-9 officer. Maddux returned to his patrol car, where he asked Fredrickson several additional questions. In response, Fredrickson reiterated that Mader and Romo-Uriarie were his parents, that his father was 60 years old, and that his parents had stayed in a motel in Minnesota while he stayed with his brother. Fredrickson then changed his story by saying that he, too, stayed in a motel.

After his second conversation with Fredrickson, Maddux returned to the suspects’ car to ask Mader and Romo-Uriarie more questions. During this conversation, Mader and Romo-Uriarie told Maddux they worked for a company that manufactured homes. When asked whether Fredrickson was in school, they said that they thought he had graduated.

*25 Maddux returned to his patrol car, where he had a third conversation with Fredrickson. Maddux told Fredrickson that “we had a problem, that the people in the vehicle were not his parents, that his parents did not live in Phoenix, they lived in Minnesota, and that he did not go to Minnesota to visit his brother.” Although Maddux told Fredrickson he was not under arrest, he read him his Miranda rights.

Deputy Chance arrived with his drug dog, Fellow. Chance testified that he and Fellow had undergone drug detection training and had been successful on numerous occasions in discovering illegal drugs. Chance further testified that Fellow was capable of detecting the residual odors of drugs even after the drugs were no longer present. Chance also testified that Fellow had not been trained in the area of United States currency. Chance explained that when he conducted a free air sniff of the suspects’ car, the drug dog showed a positive alert to the trunk area. Maddux, who was also a K-9 officer, testified that the dog showed a positive alert to the trunk area twice.

After the drug dog alerted to the trunk, Chance removed Mader and Romo-Uriarie from the car and read them their Miranda rights. Maddux asked each individual separately if he or she had any large amounts of cash. Fredrickson said he had $200, which he pulled out of his pocket. Mader indicated that he had approximately $1,000 and handed Maddux his billfold upon request. Romo-Uriarie was initially evasive about how much money she had.

When Maddux conducted a search of the car, he discovered a small suitcase in the trunk containing $37,980 in cash. The deputies arrested the three individuals because Maddux believed the cash was the proceeds of drug transactions or money laundering. Romo-Uriarie told Chance her purse contained more money. Maddux located the purse in the car and discovered $45,950 in cash. Romo-Uriarie also told Maddux that the suitcase belonged to Fredrickson. Maddux testified that he discovered $85,440 total. The cash was rubber-banded, and one large packet of cash was in a plastic sack. The deputies did not find any drugs during the search.

In addition, Chance discovered on Mader a handwritten sentencing guidelines grid applicable to drug crimes. Chance testified *26 that when he discovered it, Mader responded by smiling and stating that his son had gotten into trouble, and he wanted to know how much time his son was facing. Chance also discovered a subscription card to High Times magazine, featuring hydroponic units containing large marijuana plants, on Mader. The card advertised the “World’s Best Grow Boxes.”

The State charged Fredrickson, Mader, and Romo-Uriarie with unlawful acts involving proceeds derived from violations of K.S.A. 65-4142 and 21-3205 of the Act.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
97 P.3d 1051, 33 Kan. App. 2d 22, 2004 Kan. App. LEXIS 1069, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-romo-uriarie-kanctapp-2004.