United States v. Allen

235 F.3d 482, 2000 Colo. J. C.A.R. 6464, 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 31149, 2000 WL 1800543
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedDecember 5, 2000
Docket99-3236
StatusPublished
Cited by81 cases

This text of 235 F.3d 482 (United States v. Allen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Allen, 235 F.3d 482, 2000 Colo. J. C.A.R. 6464, 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 31149, 2000 WL 1800543 (10th Cir. 2000).

Opinion

TACHA, Circuit Judge.

Defendant Allen appeals his conviction in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas on three counts of possession of crack-cocaine with the intent to distribute and one count of carrying a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking charge. We exercise jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and AFFIRM.

I. Facts

On January 26, 1999, a five count indictment was returned against the Defendant, Gavin E. Allen. The indictment charged Mr. Allen with possession of crack-cocaine with the intent to distribute on April 16, 1998, August 16, 1998, and November 29, 1998, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); carrying a firearm in connection with the August 16, 1998, drug trafficking charge in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); and of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).

A. April 16 Arrest

On April 16, 1998, a Wichita, Kansas police dispatcher received an anonymous call that Gavin Allen, who was wanted on warrants from Sedgwick County Court, was living at 813 S. Water. The anonymous caller stated that Mr. Allen was a black male, approximately 6 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 200 pounds, and driving a brown or maroon car. The dispatcher sent police officers Nagy and Moon to check the address 813 S. Water for Mr. Allen.

The officers arrived at the address and observed a car in the driveway matching the description given. The officers knocked at the front door and two black males stepped outside. One of the men— later determined to be the defendant — fit the description given by the dispatcher and was questioned by Officer Nagy. When the defendant was told that the *486 officers were looking for a man named Gavin Allen, he told Officer Nagy that his name was Gerald Allen, not Gavin Allen. Officer Nagy then asked for identification from the defendant. The defendant replied that his identification was in his brother Gerald’s car.

Due to the matching physical description, the presence of the described car in the driveway, and the fact that the defendant had stated that he was Gerald Allen but then referred to his brother Gerald in the third person, Officer Nagy concluded that the defendant was indeed Gavin Allen. Officer Nagy placed Mr. Allen under arrest and searched him, finding a pawn slip bearing Gavin Allen’s name, 10.77 grams of crack-cocaine, and $194 in cash. At that point, the defendant admitted to being Gavin Allen.

B. August 16 Incident

Around midnight on August 16, 1998, the Wichita emergency dispatch operator received a call from Lareasha Washington. Ms. Washington told dispatch that her boyfriend, Gavin Allen, was outside her apartment threatening her. Ms. Washington described Mr. Allen as being about six- and-a-half feet tall, weighing 200 pounds, wearing a blue and white Adidas shirt, and driving an older maroon Pontiac Grand Am. She informed dispatch that Mr. Allen always carried a small black gun with him. Wichita police officer Real responded to the call.

Officer Real stopped a maroon Pontiac Grand Am as it was leaving the apartment complex. The driver — later determined to be the defendant — was a black male wearing a blue and white shirt. Upon questioning, the defendant informed Officer Real that his name was Gerald Allen. At that point, another officer, Officer Woodard, arrived on the scene. Due to the concern that the defendant was carrying a weapon, Officer Real asked the defendant to step out of the car. The defendant complied and Officer Real patted him down, finding no weapon. Officer Woodard then asked if there were any weapons in the car. The defendant said there were not, and he denied Officer Woodard permission to search the vehicle. Officer Woodard stated that he was going to look anyway and reached to open the car door. As Officer Woodard reached towards the door, the defendant fled the scene and both Officers Woodard and Real gave chase. After less that a minute, Officer Woodard broke off the chase and returned to secure the vehicle. He searched the car and found a loaded, black Jennings .22 caliber semiautomatic handgun under the driver’s seat. In addition, Officer Woodard found 8.25 grams of crack cocaine. Officer Real then returned to the vehicle having been unsuccessful in his attempts to catch the defendant.

C. August 26 Arrest

On August 26, 1998, the defendant was again arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant. Mr. Allen had been seen inside the apartment of Yolanda Madison. Mr. Allen had been living there for nearly two weeks after moving out of Ms. Washington’s apartment. Wichita police officers Tucker and Barrier were directed to the apartment by an individual who had seen the defendant inside. They identified themselves as police officers outside the door and called the defendant by name, asking him to open the door.

Looking through a window, Officer Tucker saw Mr. Allen look out the front door peep hole and walk toward the rear of the apartment. After fifteen minutes of knocking and requesting entrance, the officers asked the apartment manager to let them in with her master key. The lease allowed her to enter apartments without notice for emergency reasons. The manager complied with the officers’ request. Upon searching the apartment, the officers discovered Mr. Allen lying on the floor of the bedroom covered with clothing and drawers and feigning sleep. Mr. Allen was placed under arrest and taken into custody. Officer Real then came to the *487 police station and identified Mr. Allen as the man who had run from him and Officer Woodard ten days earlier.

D. November 29 Arrest

On November 29, 1998, Wichita police officer Hungría was working his regular beat on South Broadway at around 1:00 a.m. Officer Hungría observed that room number sixty-four of the County Inn had people coming and going and suspected drug activity. Officer Hungría obtained the room registration and discovered that it had been rented to Gavin Allen since November 23rd. Upon discovering that there was an outstanding warrant for Mr. Allen’s arrest and calling in back-up, Officer Hungría went to the room and knocked on the door. After Mr. Allen answered the door, the officers saw marijuana in the room in plain view. At that point, the officers arrested several people, including Mr. Allen and Leonard Love.

Both Mr. Allen and Mr. Love were patted down for weapons and transported to the jail via Officer Hungria’s squad car. Mr. Love was placed in the back driver’s side seat and Mr. Allen in the back passenger’s side seat. Both men were handcuffed behind their back. Prior to beginning his shift, Officer Hungría had checked the rear seat of his squad car to make certain that it was clean. Mr. Love and Mr. Allen were the first to ride in the rear seat since Officer Hungría began his shift.

Upon arrival at the jail, Officer Hungría observed Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
235 F.3d 482, 2000 Colo. J. C.A.R. 6464, 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 31149, 2000 WL 1800543, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-allen-ca10-2000.