United States v. Gannon

201 F. Supp. 68, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5751
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedDecember 27, 1961
DocketCrim. 61-164 to 61-166
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 201 F. Supp. 68 (United States v. Gannon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Gannon, 201 F. Supp. 68, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5751 (D. Mass. 1961).

Opinion

WYZANSKI, District Judge.

There are before me 27 motions filed by seven defendants. Most of these motions purport to be pursuant to Rule 41 (e) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, 18 U.S.C. All involve implicitly United States Constitution Amendment IV.

1. James J. Gannon makes two motions in Criminal 61-164, 61-165, and elide to suppress, as evidence against him (1) property seized October 17, 1960 at 350-352 Ocean Avenue, Revere, and (2) property seized February 27, 1961 at 584 Beach Street, Revere.

2. Anthony Marzullo makes three motions, one each in cases 61-164, 61-165, and 61-166. Each motion seeks (1) to recover property seized October 17, 1960 and February 27, 1961, from his possession and his automobile, and (2) to suppress certain statements.

3. Stephen W. Parker makes two motions filed in Criminal 61-164, 61-165, and 61-166, to suppress as evidence against him (1) property seized October 17, 1960 at 350-352 Ocean Avenue, Revere, and (2) property seized on February 27, 1961 at 584 Beach Street, Revere; and three motions, filed respectively in 61-164, 61-165, and 61-166 seeking (1) to recover property seized October 17, 1960 and February 27, 1961, and (2) to suppress certain statements.

4. William Rocci has filed five motions corresponding to those of Parker.

5. Frank Sirignano has filed six motions , two each in cases 61-164, 61-165, and 61-166. These motions seek (1) to recover property seized October 17, 1960 and February 27, 1961, and (2) to suppress certain statements.

*70 6. Domenic Tortorella has filed three motions, one each in cases 61-164, 61-165, and 61-166. These motions correspond to those of Sirignano.

7. John Tortorella has filed three motions, one each in cases 61-164, 61-165, and 61-166. These motions also correspond to those of Sirignano.

These cases grow out of two separate raids on two alleged bookie joints. One raid was at 350-352 Ocean Avenue, Revere on October 17, 1960. The other was at 584 Beach Street, Revere, on February 27, 1961. What was seized in each case were gambling paraphernalia on the premises, in automobiles near the premises, and the contents of those automobiles. In each case preceding the raid, pursuant to Rule 41(c) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, a Special Agent of the Bureau of Internal Revenue made an affidavit before a United States Commissioner; the Commissioner issued a search warrant “to any U. S. Marshal, any of his deputies, or any authorized person” specifying the gambling material and like property on the premises to be seized; deputy marshals and Special Agents together made the raids and seized property from the premises and Special Agents seized the automobiles and contents; and in the first raid a deputy marshal made the return, and in the second raid a Special Agent made the return. Thereafter, the grand jury, presumably responding, in part, to the evidence so procured, indicted the seven defendants in one or more of the three indictments numbered, respectively, 61-164, 61-165, and 61-166.

The broad issues raised are (1) whether, in accordance with Rule 41(c) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, proper persons executed the search warrants to procure the gambling material on the premises, and (2) whether, absent warrants to search the automobiles as distinguished from the premises, proper foundations existed for the seizure of those vehicles and contents. Despite the wide sweep of the oral arguments and briefs, the Court has not before it any motion which asks specifically for return of the automobiles themselves as distinguished from all “property” said to have been wrongfully seized, or any motion or evidence clearly stating who was the owner, possessor, or custodian of any particular automobile.

At a hearing on December 11, 1961, this Court received evidence. Upon the record thus made this Court finds:

1. From August 17, 1960 to October 17, 1960, John J. Daley, a Special Agent of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and others had made observations, on about 18 separate occasions, at 350-352 Ocean Avenue, Revere. Daley had seen the defendants, severally, arriving in automobiles, many of which were registered in their respective names, and taking from the cars into the premises packages of envelopes. Before October 17, Daley observed some of the defendants removing some of these envelopes and some “slips” from under the seats of the cars.

2. Fred G. Pastore, another Special Agent, on October 17, 1960 made a minutely detailed affidavit before U. S. Commissioner Nelligan reciting his own 27 observations and observations of others, apparently including Daley. The Commissioner, expressly relying on Pastore’s affidavit, directed, “to any U. S. Marshal, any of his deputies, or any other authorized person” a warrant to search for and seize at 350-352 Ocean Avenue, Revere, specific material commonly used for registering bets. On the same day, Special Agents Pastore, Daley, DeLuca and one or more United States deputy marshals together entered the premises and seized the articles listed.

3. Pastore directed special agents to seize and search the cars parked around the premises at 350-352 Ocean Avenue. The cars and the property in the cars were seized by the Special Agents. The defendants, after they had been arrested by deputy U. S. marshals who were acting on specific warrants of arrest, turned their auto keys over to the Special Agents.

4. October 26, 1960 deputy United States marshal F. J. Oczkowski made to *71 the U. S. Commissioner a return of his execution of the search warrant. Thereafter the property covered in his return remained with the United States Marshal. Presumably the cars and contents were taken into the custody of the Internal Revenue Service.

5. From February 7, 1961 to February 27, 1961 John J. Daley had made observations, on seven separate occasions at 584 Beach Street, Revere. Here, too, Daley had seen the defendants arriving severally, in automobiles, many of which were registered in their respective names, and, on days before the February 27 raid, taking from the cars into the premises packages of envelopes.

6. Fred G. Pastore on February 27, 1961 made a minutely detailed affidavit before U. S. Commissioner Farrell reciting his own eight observations and the observations of others, apparently including Daley. The Commissioner, expressly relying on Pastore’s affidavit, directed “to any U. S. Marshal, any of his deputies, or any authorized person” a warrant to search for, and seize at, 584 Beach Street, Revere, specific material commonly used for registering bets. On the same day Pastore, Daley, other Special Agents, and deputy marshals jointly entered the premises, and seized the articles listed.

7. Pastore directed Special Agents to seize and search the cars parked in the driveway of, and the streets around, 584 Beach Street. The ears and the property in the cars were seized by the Special Agents. The defendants, after they had been arrested by deputy marshals who were acting on specific warrants of arrest, turned their auto keys over to the Special Agents.

8. March 7,1961 Special Agent Daley made to the U. S. Commissioner a statement that he had executed the search warrant. His return recited the presence of two other Special Agents, who themselves also signed the return.

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Bluebook (online)
201 F. Supp. 68, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5751, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-gannon-mad-1961.