United States v. Edward D. Jameson, United States of America v. Joyce C. Jameson, United States of America v. Charles Anderson Miller, A/K/A Sonny Miller, A/K/A Bubba

972 F.2d 343, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 26431
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
DecidedJuly 29, 1992
Docket91-5848
StatusUnpublished

This text of 972 F.2d 343 (United States v. Edward D. Jameson, United States of America v. Joyce C. Jameson, United States of America v. Charles Anderson Miller, A/K/A Sonny Miller, A/K/A Bubba) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fourth 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. Edward D. Jameson, United States of America v. Joyce C. Jameson, United States of America v. Charles Anderson Miller, A/K/A Sonny Miller, A/K/A Bubba, 972 F.2d 343, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 26431 (4th Cir. 1992).

Opinion

972 F.2d 343

NOTICE: Fourth Circuit I.O.P. 36.6 states that citation of unpublished dispositions is disfavored except for establishing res judicata, estoppel, or the law of the case and requires service of copies of cited unpublished dispositions of the Fourth Circuit.
UNITED STATES of AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Edward D. JAMESON, Defendant-Appellant.
United States of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Joyce C. Jameson, Defendant-Appellant.
United States of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Charles Anderson Miller, a/k/a Sonny Miller, a/k/a Bubba,
Defendant-Appellant.

Nos. 91-5848, 91-5849, 91-5876.

United States Court of Appeals,
Fourth Circuit.

Argued: May 8, 1992
Decided: July 29, 1992

Appeals from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, at Fayetteville.

Jack Edmond Carter, Fayetteville, North Carolina, for Appellant Miller.

James Riley Parish, Fayetteville, North Carolina, for Appellant Joyce Jameson.

James Michael Walen, Fayetteville, North Carolina, for Appellant Edward Jameson.

John Stuart Bruce, First Assistant United States Attorney, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellee.

Margaret Person Currin, United States Attorney, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellee, on brief.

E.D.N.C.

AFFIRMED.

Before ERVIN, Chief Judge, WILLIAMS, Senior United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, sitting by designation, and WILLIAMS, Senior United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia, sitting by designation.

PER CURIAM:

OPINION

Charles A. Miller ("Miller"), Edward D. Jameson ("Ed Jameson"), and Joyce C. Jameson ("Joyce Jameson") appeal their convictions and sentences imposed by the district court. We affirm.

I.

On October 18, 1985, the United States Department of the Army awarded Earth Property Services ("EPS") a family housing maintenance ("FHM") contract for the maintenance of approximately 4,800 units of family housing on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Under the FHM contract, EPS was paid a monthly fixed fee to perform: (1) routine and emergency maintenance; (2) seasonal maintenance on heating and air-conditioning systems; (3) exterior maintenance; and (4) "between occupancy maintenance." EPS was to provide all equipment and materials necessary for the maintenance, unless the contract specifically provided that EPS would be reimbursed for such items. These reimbursable items were known as "bid items" and included countertops, window shades, vanities, range hoods, and thermopane glass.

The Army's Director of Engineering and Housing ("DEH") at Fort Bragg monitored contract performance. DEH inspectors were required to inspect the installation of all bid items and all other aspects of EPS' performance. In short, the inspectors were the government's "eyes and ears," responsible for making sure EPS performed the work required by the contract. During the performance of the contract, EPS submitted a monthly invoice to the inspectors. A DEH inspector would certify the invoice. The invoice would then be forwarded to the finance office with a receiving report, form DD 250, for payment. Pursuant to each invoice, a United States Treasury check was mailed by the government to EPS.

Ed Jameson was the lead DEH inspector on the FHM contract. His duties included checking on the performance of the seasonal maintenance for heating and air-conditioning, checking the exterior maintenance, and verifying that the bid items had been installed. Joyce Jameson is Ed Jameson's wife. Miller was EPS' principal foreman on the FHM contract. Miller's title was later changed to Operations Manager. Miller was in charge of the field operations for EPS.

II.

Ed Jameson and Joyce Jameson appeal the district court's denial of their motion to suppress. We affirm.

On March 15, 1990, Special Agent Alan R. Hobbs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") and Special Agent Stanley E. Poston of the Defense Criminal Investigative Services ("DCIS") travelled to Topsail Beach, North Carolina and located the Jamesons' beach home. Agents Hobbs and Poston ascended the front stairs and peered into the residence through a sliding glass door. They saw a butcher block countertop in the kitchen area. This caught their attention because they were investigating the loss of butcher block countertops from Fort Bragg. Agents Hobbs and Poston also noticed signs in the front yard indicating the house was for rent and for sale through Topsail Realty Company.

The agents travelled to Topsail Realty and Agent Hobbs told the clerk on duty that he would like to view the Jamesons' property. Agents Hobbs and Poston then truthfully filled out forms requesting their name, address and automobile license number. The clerk stated that no real estate agent was on duty, but gave Agents Hobbs and Poston a key to the Jamesons' home. The agents did not disclose that they were with the FBI and DCIS.

Agents Hobbs and Poston then went to the Jamesons' house and used the key to enter. Once inside, they opened the kitchen cabinet doors and examined the underside of the countertop. The agents observed the letters "EPS" and also "127 Seay" written on the underside of the countertop. Agent Hobbs knew that 127 Seay was an address at Fort Bragg and the agents believed EPS stood for Earth Property Services. The agents also entered an unlocked storage area on the ground floor and found a cardboard box containing stair treads. This box was labeled with a Fort Bragg address. The real estate agent arrived and Agent Hobbs returned the key. Agents Hobbs and Poston did not inform the real estate agent that they were with the FBI and DCIS. The agents departed without removing anything from the beach house.

On March 29, 1990, Agents Hobbs and Poston obtained a search warrant for the Jamesons' beach home. On March 30, 1990 Agents Poston and Stephen C. Miller of DCIS travelled to the beach house, where they found the Jamesons in the front yard. Agent Poston and Agent Miller identified themselves and displayed their badges. Agent Poston told Mr. Jameson that he had a search warrant for the house. Mr. Jameson responded that the agents could not remove anything because everything in the house was "bought and paid for." Agent Poston replied that he did have a search warrant and that he could seize anything listed on the search warrant. Mr. Jameson then replied that the agents could look at the house as much as they desired, but could not remove anything.

By this time, Ed Jameson had become somewhat agitated. Agent Miller suggested that they go inside the house. Mr. Jameson agreed and told the agents to come in and look at anything they desired. Once inside, the Jamesons repeated this invitation. At that point, Agent Hobbs arrived and photographed the countertop and dishwasher. Agent Hobbs took the box of stair treads with Mr. Jameson's consent. The agents did not remove the countertop. The agents later returned the search warrant unexecuted.

June 26, 1990, Agent Poston and Agent Ben Pruitt of the DCIS returned to the Jameson's beach home with a search warrant. The agents seized the countertop.

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Bluebook (online)
972 F.2d 343, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 26431, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-edward-d-jameson-united-states-of-america-v-joyce-c-ca4-1992.