State v. Turcotte

571 A.2d 305, 239 N.J. Super. 285
CourtNew Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division
DecidedMarch 8, 1990
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 571 A.2d 305 (State v. Turcotte) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Turcotte, 571 A.2d 305, 239 N.J. Super. 285 (N.J. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

239 N.J. Super. 285 (1990)
571 A.2d 305

STATE OF NEW JERSEY, PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT,
v.
RONALD TURCOTTE AND LISE TURCOTTE, DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS.

Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.

Argued December 18, 1989.
Decided March 8, 1990.

*287 Before Judges O'BRIEN, HAVEY and STERN.

Michael D. Schottland argued the cause for appellants (Chamlin, Schottland, Rosen, Cavanagh & Uliano, attorneys; Michael D. Schottland on the brief).

Patricia Bowen Quelch, Assistant Prosecutor, argued the cause for respondent (John Kaye, Monmouth County Prosecutor, attorney; Mark P. Stalford, Assistant Prosecutor, of counsel and on the brief).

*288 The opinion of the court was delivered by HAVEY, J.A.D.

The principal issue raised by this appeal is whether a warrantless administrative search of an off-track stable housing licensed harness racing horses, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.5, violates the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In State v. Dolce, 178 N.J. Super. 275, 428 A.2d 947 (App.Div. 1981), we held that an essentially identical regulation controlling thoroughbred racing did not violate the Fourth Amendment because horse racing in New Jersey fell within "pervasive and long-standing government regulation exceptions to the administrative search warrant rule[.]" Id. at 285, 428 A.2d 947. Defendants now contend that our holding in Dolce should be "reviewed" in light of New York v. Burger, 482 U.S. 691, 107 S.Ct. 2636, 96 L.Ed.2d 601 (1987). We conclude that N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.5 satisfies the Burger three-pronged test and hence does not violate the Fourth Amendment.

Defendants husband and wife, Ronald and Lise Turcotte, were convicted in the Manalapan Township Municipal Court, and again after their trial de novo in the Law Division, of possession of prescription legend drugs without a prescription, N.J.S.A. 2A:170-77.8, and possession of hypodermic needles and syringes without a prescription, N.J.S.A. 24:21-51. On their conviction they were fined $300 and $120 respectively and were assessed court costs.

On appeal, defendants argue that N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.5 violates the Fourth Amendment and therefore their motion to suppress should have been granted. They also argue that the evidence seized should have been suppressed because the State failed to show that the state steward's memorandum authorizing the search was based on written notice from the official chemist. See ibid. Defendants also challenge their convictions for possessing prescription legend drugs because the contents of the containers seized were never analyzed by the state chemist. They further assert that their convictions for unlawful possession of hypodermic syringes and needles were against the *289 weight of the evidence, and in particular that the State failed to show that defendant Lise Turcotte was in either actual or constructive possession of the physical evidence seized.

At the suppression hearing, State Police Detective Steven Makuka testified that the horse "Trottin' Happy," the second-place finisher in a race at the Freehold Raceway on October 15, 1986, tested positively for the drug Dipyrone in a test performed by the State Police Equine Testing Unit immediately following the race. Lise Turcotte was the trainer of Trottin' Happy and Ronald Turcotte was a part owner. Mr. Turcotte is also a licensed trainer and uses his Manalapan Township residence as his training facility.

As a result of the positive test, the sample was forwarded to the State Police laboratory at the Meadowlands Racetrack for confirmatory testing. The results of the positive analysis were transmitted to the Racing Commission and, on October 17, 1986, State Steward O'Donnell issued a memorandum authorizing "a search of the premises occupied by Ron and Lis[e] Turcotte stable or trainer." The search was authorized pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.5(a), which provides in pertinent part:

On receiving written notice from the official chemist that a specimen has been found "positive" for any drug or substance foreign to the natural horse, the steward shall proceed as follows:
1. He or she shall notify the State Police and authorize a search of the premises occupied by the stable involved.
2. He or she shall, as quickly as possible, notify the owner and trainer of the horse involved.

After Detective Makuka received the report and memorandum on October 18, 1986, he went to the Turcotte training facilities and met Mr. Turcotte outside his barn. The detective identified himself, told Mr. Turcotte of the positive test results, showed him the state steward's memorandum and advised him of the authorization to search. The detective explained to Mr. Turcotte that the document was "not a search warrant but an administrative directive to the state police to conduct a search of his premises." Mr. Turcotte thereupon permitted a search of the barn, tack boxes and Trottin' Happy's stall. A search of a *290 refrigerator in the barn storage room revealed prescription drugs, hypodermic needles and syringes, which were seized by the detective. The Turcotte home was not searched.

In an affidavit in support of defendants' motion to suppress, Mr. Turcotte stated that his farm is not licensed by the Racing Commission, nor is it a public training facility. He explained that he did "not exclusively raise or care for race horses" and did not rent stall space to any other horseman. He stated "I am the only horseman on my premises."

In denying the suppression motion, the Law Division judge, citing Dolce, concluded that the search of defendants' premises was a valid administrative search, and thus did not violate the Fourth Amendment. He reasoned that the regulation, "on its face," does not distinguish between on-track and off-track premises and "plainly" authorized the search of defendants' off-track stable area. Defendants' motion for reconsideration was also denied.

We held in Dolce, that a regulation essentially identical to N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.5 was constitutional and authorized police officials to search stable areas occupied by Dolce at the Monmouth Park Raceway. 178 N.J. Super. at 287, 428 A.2d 947. In so holding, we relied on the recognized exception to the search warrant requirement involving administrative activities within various industries subject to "pervasive or long-standing governmental regulation." Id. at 283, 428 A.2d 947. Noting the establishment of the Racing Commission, its pervasive regulatory control over all aspects of horse racing in the State, N.J.S.A. 5:5-22, as well as its broad rule-making powers to carry out the Legislature's mandate, N.J.S.A. 5:5-30, we concluded that "horse racing in this State fits under both the pervasive and long-standing government regulation exceptions to the administrative search warrant rule[.]" Dolce, supra, 178 N.J. Super. at 285, 428 A.2d 947. See also Delguidice v. New Jersey Racing Com'n, 100 N.J. 79, 90, 494 A.2d 1007 (1985). New Jersey has applied this administrative search exception in *291 other closely regulated industries. See In re Martin, 90 N.J. 295, 312, 447 A.2d 1290 (1982) (casino employees while on casino premises); State v. Williams, 84 N.J.

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Bluebook (online)
571 A.2d 305, 239 N.J. Super. 285, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-turcotte-njsuperctappdiv-1990.