United States v. Chaidez-Reyes

996 F. Supp. 2d 1321, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16095, 2014 WL 547178
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedFebruary 10, 2014
DocketCriminal Action No. 1:13-CR-158-ODE-AJB
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 996 F. Supp. 2d 1321 (United States v. Chaidez-Reyes) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Chaidez-Reyes, 996 F. Supp. 2d 1321, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16095, 2014 WL 547178 (N.D. Ga. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER

ORINDA D. EVANS, District Judge.

This criminal case is before the Court on the Report and Recommendation of United States Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baver-man filed January 14, 2014 [Doc. 37]. No objections have been filed.

In the Report and Recommendation, the Magistrate Judge recommends that Defendant’s motion to suppress evidence and statements [Doc. 14] be granted in part and denied in part. Specifically, the Magistrate Judge recommended that the motion be granted as to Defendant’s November 30, 2012 statements as to why he was in the backyard of 4115 Flat Shoals Road and as to the location of currency in his residence and denied in all other respects.

The Court having read and considered the Report and Recommendation and noting the absence of any objections, it is hereby adopted as the opinion and order of the Court. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Recommendation, Defendant’s motion to suppress evidence and statements [Doc. 14] is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. It is GRANTED as to Defendant’s November 30, 2012 statements as to why he was in the backyard of 4115 Flat Shoals Road and as to the location of currency in his residence and DENIED in all other respects.

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

ALAN J. BAVERMAN, United States Magistrate Judge.

Before the Court is Defendant Francisco Chaidez-Reyes’ motion to suppress evidence and statements. [Doc. 14].1 After an evidentiary hearing, [Doc. 26 (hereinafter “T_”) ], the parties filed briefs. [Docs. 28, 35 (Govt.), 32 (Chaidez) ]. For the following reasons, the undersigned RECOMMENDS that the motion be GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. Specifically, the Court RECOMMENDS that the motion be GRANTED as to Chaidez’s November 30, 2012, statements as to why he was in the backyard of 4115 Flat Shoals Road and the location of currency in his residence and DENIED in all other respects.

Evidentiary Hearing Facts

Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) agents and local law enforcement officers were conducting a drug investigation in East Point, Georgia, in November 2012, and during the course of that investigation they suspected that thirty pounds of methamphetamine were being stored at 4115 Flat Shoals Road in Union City, Fulton County, Georgia. T4-5. On November [1327]*132729, 2012, a cooperating defendant made monitored telephone calls to an unidentified person at that location in an effort to order a quantity of methamphetamine. T5; Deft. Ex. 1 at 11. After several telephone calls, a Mercury Marquis was seen leaving the residence. A Georgia State Patrol trooper stopped the vehicle for having an invalid license plate, and a search of the vehicle revealed approximately one-half pound of methamphetamine. T5. The driver, Sergio Armenta, was arrested. Local officers then obtained a state search warrant at 9:01 p.m. for the entire premises and curtilage of 4115 Flat Shoals Road. T6, 37; Govt. Ex. 1.

Federal and state officers executed the warrant beginning at 11:30 p.m. with initial entry by a SWAT team. Once the residence was declared secure, the search began at 12:05 a.m. on November 30, and it resulted in the discovery and seizure of over thirty pounds of methamphetamine and a firearm. T38,148.

Fulton County Deputy Sheriff Farrar was one of the local officers providing security at the residence while the search was conducted. T53. Approximately one and one-half hours into the search, Farrar saw a light shining in the backyard and, along with other officers, went to the backyard to determine the source of the light. T53-54, 65. There, they discovered Defendant Chaidez sitting on the ground under a tree in the backyard. T54, 56, 66; Govt. Ex. 5. The officers, with their weapons drawn, ordered Chaidez to lay flat on the ground and handcuffed him. T57, 66-67. As Chaidez was lifted onto his feet, the officers saw a loaded firearm where Chaidez had been sitting. T57, 75; Govt. Exs. 6, 7. Farrar illuminated the weapon with his flashlight and saw that the serial number had been scratched off of the firearm. T58, 67; Govt. Ex. 6. Chaidez was searched, and the officers seized a cell phone, his wallet, $2500 in currency, and keys (which subsequently were found to open the door locks of 4115 Flat Shoals Road). T58-59. A flashlight also was located. T154.

Farrar then asked Chaidez, in English, what he was doing in the backyard. Chai-dez replied that he lived a couple of doors down, and that he received a phone call from another person advising him that someone was in the house, so he came to check. T59-60, 68. Farrar described Chaidez’s English as “pretty good.” T60.

Chaidez was taken inside 4115 Flat Shoals Road and seated on the floor of the living room. T60, 68, 78. Chaidez’s cell phone was searched by reviewing its call log and contact list, and the call log reflected that Chaidez had received telephone calls on November 29 from Armenta after Armenta spoke with the cooperator about ordering methamphetamine. T116-17, 119, 155.23 Inspecting Chaidez’s cell phone also provided its phone number of law enforcement. T155.4,5

Approximately fifteen to twenty minutes after Chaidez first was encountered in the [1328]*1328backyard, HIDTA Task Force Officer Hannan asked Chaidez where he lived, and Hannan knew that Chaidez’s response— 4135 Flat Shoals Road — was within a short walking distance from 4115 Flat Shoals Road. T71, 80. In response to additional questioning, Chaidez stated that he lived with his wife and child and that someone was currently at his home. Hannan asked Chaidez if he would consent to a search of his house at 4135 Flat Shoals Road, and Chaidez stated that he would consent. T80. The conversation was in English, and Chaidez stated he understood Hannan’s questions. T80, 86. Chaidez expressed concern about his family, and Hannan responded that they were not interested in his family, but only if there was “anything in the house that’s not supposed to be there, any drugs or large sums of currency.” T81.6

Hannan obtained a consent-to-search form (in English) from Farrar. T93. Han-nan read the form aloud while Chaidez looked on. T94. On the consent form, Hannan entered his name, the address to be searched, and his badge number, and he checked the boxes delineating topics of advice,7,8 while Chaidez signed the form and filled in the date and time. T81-82, [1329]*132992; Govt. Ex. 8. Chaidez acknowledged to Hannan that he could understand and read English somewhat. T94. Farrar witnessed the form being read to Chaidez in English and signed by him. Id.; T61, 70-71.

After the consent-to-search form was completed, Chaidez was escorted to 4135 Flat Shoals Road. After Chaidez and the officers entered the residence, Chaidez, his wife, their small child, and Chaidez’s father were seated in the living room while the house was searched. T62, 83. Approximately one pound of marijuana in a gallon-size ziplock bag was located in the basement. T63, 72-73. Hannan also noticed that a new-looking SUV in the garage appeared to be in a state of disassem-bly. He saw that there was a row of seats missing in the vehicle and recalled seeing what appeared to be that missing row of seats during the search at 4115 Flat Shoals Road. T84.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
996 F. Supp. 2d 1321, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16095, 2014 WL 547178, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-chaidez-reyes-gand-2014.