United States v. Howard

400 F. Supp. 2d 457, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30988, 2005 WL 3159606
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedMay 3, 2005
Docket1:04-cr-00313
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 400 F. Supp. 2d 457 (United States v. Howard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.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. Howard, 400 F. Supp. 2d 457, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30988, 2005 WL 3159606 (N.D.N.Y. 2005).

Opinion

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION...............................................................460

BACKGROUND................................................................460

March 19, 2004, Eavesdropping Warrant: 518-229-6128 ..........................460

April 21, 2004, Eavesdropping Warrant: 518-528-1148 and 518-376-3946 ...........463

McKinnon’s Cell Phone....................................................463

Howard’s Cell Phone......................................................465

Necessity — Alternative Investigative Techniques.............................465

May 20, 2004, Eavesdropping Warrant..........................................466

McKinnon’s and Cruz’s Cell Phones.........................................466

Sierra’s and Howard’s Cell Phones..........................................467

Howard’s and Castillo’s Cell Phones ........................................467

McKinnon’s and E & O’s Cell Phones.......................................468

Necessity — Alternative Investigative Techniques........:....................469

June 1, 2004 Search Warrant..................................................470

May 20, 2004 Vehicle Stop of Howard and Restifo................................470

STANDARDS ..................................................................470

Eavesdropping Warrants .....................................................470

Probable Cause..............................................................472

Severance...................................................................472

Dismissal of the Indictment and Inspection of Grand Jury Minutes................, 472

DISCUSSION..................................................................473

Defendant John E. Howard, III................................................473

Warrantless Vehicle Search................................................473

Evidence Obtained through Eavesdropping..................................473

Standing.............................................................473

Probable Cause.......................................................474

Traditional Investigative Techniques ....................................475

Severance...............................................................476

Defendant Redmond Andre McKinnon..........................................476

Dismissal of the Indictment................................................476

Eavesdropping Warrant...................................................476

Standing.............................................................476

Traditional Investigative Methods.......................................477

Probable Cause..............:........................................477

Search Warrant..........................................................479

Discovery...............................................................480

Supplemental Motion .....................................................480

Defendant Glenn Smith, Jr....................................................481

Severance...................................................................481

Wiretap Warrant.........................................................481

Discovery...............................................................482

Removal of Alias “Kabar” from Superseding Indictment.......................482

*460 Defendant Kenneth Gibson............................ 482

Warrantless Search of Residence at 152 Maple Avenue 482

Eavesdropping Warrants.......................... 483

Severance ....................................... 483

Motion to Preclude Certain Testimony.............. 483

Defendant Christopher Restifo ........................ 484

Defendant Affis Cruz................................. 484

Sentencing Factors in the Superseding Indictment....... 485

Further Motions as Necessary......................... 485

CONCLUSION.......................... 485

MEMORANDUM-DECISION and ORDER

HURD, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The defendants were charged with narcotics trafficking offenses in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), in a superseding indictment dated July 28, 2004. The grand jury also charged parallel forfeiture counts, and set forth conduct relevant to sentencing under the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Defendants John E. Howard III (“Howard”), Redmond Andre McKinnon (“McKinnon”), Glenn Smith, Jr. (“Smith”), Kenneth Gibson (“Gibson”), Christopher Restifo (“Resti-fo”), and Affis Cruz (“Cruz”) filed motions for omnibus relief. 1 The Government opposed.

Oral argument was heard on January 27, 2005, in Albany, New York. Decision was reserved.

McKinnon filed a supplemental motion to suppress subsequent to oral argument, with permission. The Government responded in opposition.

II. BACKGROUND

A. March 19, 2004, Eavesdropping Warrant: 518-229-6128

On March 19, 2004, Terrence M. Kelly (“Kelly”), Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of New York, applied for a warrant authorizing interception of communications on cellular telephone 518-229-6128 (“Gibson’s cell phone”). The warrant application was supported with the affidavit of Brian D. Cernak (“Cernak”), a Special Agent with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. The communications of McKinnon and Gibson were expected to be intercepted as a result of the wiretap of Gibson’s cell phone. Further, the application indicated that narcotics trafficking by Smith, McKinnon, defendant Daniel Williams (“Williams”), and Gibson was being investigated. The following facts are set forth in Cernak’s affidavit.

In April 2003, a confidential informant (“Cl # 1”) made a controlled purchase, observed by law enforcement personnel, of 54.9 grams of cocaine from one Richard Anderson (“Anderson”). Cl #1 paid $1,150 for the cocaine. Defendant Williams supplied cocaine to Anderson. After the transaction, law enforcement surveilled Williams to 429 Duane Avenue, Schenectady, New York.

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Bluebook (online)
400 F. Supp. 2d 457, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30988, 2005 WL 3159606, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-howard-nynd-2005.