United States v. Ardines

293 F.R.D. 117, 2013 WL 1966131
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedMay 14, 2013
DocketNo. 12-CR-364
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 293 F.R.D. 117 (United States v. Ardines) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Ardines, 293 F.R.D. 117, 2013 WL 1966131 (E.D.N.Y. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER AFFIRMING JUDGMENT

JACK B. WEINSTEIN, Senior District Judge:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction.............................................................120

II. Facts...................................................................121

III. Procedural History 122

IV. Discussion...............................................................123

A. Motion to Suppress...................................................123

1. Evidence Seized from Terry Stop...................................123

2. Statement Made to Officer McLaughlin .............................124

B. Application of State Criminal Law......................................125

C. Combination of Pretrial Hearings and Trial..............................127

D. Sufficiency of Evidence...............................................127

V. Conclusion....................... .....................................128

I. Introduction

Defendant, Lino Ardines, appeals from a conviction by a magistrate judge, No. 11-MJ-1217 (VPP), of two petty offenses: (1) willful removal of government property without authorization, 38 C.F.R. § 1.218(b)(4); and (2) attempted criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, New York Penal Law § 165.40, assimilated pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 13.

At the heart of Ardines’ appeal is the denial of a motion to suppress evidence seized and statements made to the apprehending security officers at a Veteran’s Affairs hospital. He also contests the magistrate judge’s decision to combine a pretrial suppression hearing with trial, jurisdiction over an assimilated state criminal statute, and the sufficiency of evidence. For the reasons stated below, the judgment of the magistrate judge is affirmed.

[121]*121II. Facts

Ardines was employed as a member of the housekeeping staff at the Veteran’s Affairs Harbor Healthcare System (“V.A. Hospital”) in Brooklyn, New York. See Appendix, United States v. Ardines, No. 12-CR-364 (E.D.N.Y. Jan. 31, 2013), EOF No. 41-1 (“App.”), at 416-22 (Suppression and Bench Trial Tr., Apr. 27, 2012). He had worked at the V.A. Hospital for twenty-six years. Id. at 54 (Def. Mem. L. Supp. Mots. To Dismiss and To Suppress).

On June 30, 2011, slightly after 2:30 p.m., V.A. Police Officer Brian Walsh observed defendant walking toward a bus stop located in an inner driveway of the hospital’s parking lot. App. at 216 (Suppression and Bench Trial Tr., Apr. 26, 2012). Walsh was standing at the guard booth at the hospital’s front gate. Id. Hospital employees are prohibited from exiting the building from certain doors that do not have security guard posts. Id. at 219. Walsh concluded that, based on the direction from which Ardines was walking, he had not exited, as required, from the front entrance of the hospital—“the employee entrance where you’re supposed to enter and exit th[e] facility.” Id. at 279. It was determined at trial that defendant had used an unauthorized, unguarded exit to leave the building. Id. at 459 (findings of fact).

Ardines was carrying two bags: a canvas bag slung over his shoulder and a gray plastic bag. Id. 216-17 (Suppression and Bench Trial Tr., Apr. 26, 2012). The gray plastic bag had the markings of the Veterans Canteen Service (“VCS”), the hospital commissary. Id. at 248. The VCS sells goods to hospital employees. Id. Walsh observed defendant “conceal” the gray plastic bag behind a garbage receptacle next to the bus stop. Id. at 459 (findings of fact). Defendant then stepped into the shelter, a waiting area next to the bus stop. Id.

Several days earlier, Walsh had observed defendant exhibit similar behavior. Id. at 221-22 (Suppression and Bench Trial Tr., Apr. 26, 2012). He had seen defendant “get on the bus with a very, very large bag.” Id. at 221. Defendant “didn’t come through the front door on that day either.” Id. at 222. What raised the officer’s suspicion on the day of the stop was that Ardines was carrying the VCS “bag and ... hid it [behind the trash can], and [that he] knew [Ardines] didn’t come through the front door” of the hospital on his way to the bus stop. Id. at 223.

When the bus arrived, defendant retrieved the bag from behind the garbage receptacle. Id. at 217. Walsh then approached the bus and spoke to defendant, preventing him from boarding the bus. Id.

Walsh asked defendant which exit he had used to leave the hospital. Id. at 218. Defendant responded that he had left through the main exit of the hospital. Id. Based on his observations, Walsh knew that this was not true. Id. He asked what was in the gray plastic bag, and defendant responded that there were gloves in the bag. Id. Defendant then voluntarily showed Officer Walsh the contents of the bag—ten boxes of latex hospital gloves. Id. They were the same brand as those used in the hospital. Id. at 284; see also id. 454 (findings of fact). Walsh asked whether defendant had a receipt for the gloves, to which he responded: “aw, come on, they’re only gloves.” Id. at 218 (Suppression and Bench Trial Tr., Apr. 26, 2012). Walsh then inquired whether defendant had a note from his supervisor permitting him to remove the gloves from the hospital. Id. at 219. No note was produced. Id.

Walsh then said: “come on, let’s go.” Id. To which defendant asked: “where are we going?” Id. Officer Walsh responded: “you know where we’re going, come on.” Id. Ar-dines was led by Walsh into a police room located inside the V.A. Hospital. Id. at 460 (findings of fact). The lower court determined that this interaction constituted an arrest. Id.

Shortly after, Thomas McLaughlin, a criminal investigator of the V.A., entered the police room and noticed that defendant seemed “agitated.” Id. at 278, 287 (Suppression and Bench Trial Tr., Apr. 26, 2012). He brought Ardines to his office in order, as he testified, to calm him down and “get some air.” Id. at 287. No words were exchanged between defendant and McLaughlin on the way to his office. Id. Once in the office, [122]*122McLaughlin asked defendant to take a seat and “relax.” Id. at 288. He informed defendant of the seriousness of his crime, warning that a citation could potentially affect his employment at the V.A. Id. Defendant responded: “I just need these gloves for my mother, she’s very sick.” Id.

McLaughlin immediately informed defendant not to say another word about the incident. Id. Based on the evidence admitted at trial, defendant was alone with McLaughlin in his office for twenty-two minutes. Id. at 310. During that time, Ardines was not Mirandized.

III. Procedural History

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Bluebook (online)
293 F.R.D. 117, 2013 WL 1966131, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-ardines-nyed-2013.