United States v. Jones

451 F. Supp. 2d 71, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56473, 2006 WL 2355964
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedAugust 10, 2006
DocketCriminal 05-0386 (ESH)
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 451 F. Supp. 2d 71 (United States v. Jones) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Jones, 451 F. Supp. 2d 71, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56473, 2006 WL 2355964 (D.D.C. 2006).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

HUVELLE, District Judge.

Before the Court are a series of motions, filed by Defendant Jones, to suppress evidence found in vehicles and at Levels nightclub, evidence obtained from a mobile tracking device, from the seizure of electronic communications, and from the interception of wire communications. Defendant also seeks discovery regarding co-conspirator statements, a preliminary determination of the conspiracy and a pretrial ruling on the admissibility of co-conspirator statements. 1

BACKGROUND

Defendants Antoine Jones, Adrian Jackson, Michael Huggins, Kevin Holland and Kirk Carter are charged in a 34-count Superseding Indictment (the “Indictment”). All defendants are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or more of Cocaine and 50 Grams or More of Cocaine Base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 (Count One), and with various individual counts of Use of a Communication Facility to Facilitate a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(b) (Counts Five through Thirty-Four). In addition, Jones is charged with two counts of Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine or Cocaine Base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(l)(A)(iii) (Count Two), and 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) (Count Three), and Jackson is charged with Using, Carrying, Brandishing, and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) (Count Four).

As alleged in the Indictment, from at least sometime in 2003 through October 24, 2004, defendants and their co-conspirators acquired, repackaged, stored, processed, sold, and redistributed large quan *74 tities of cocaine and cocaine base, in the District of Columbia, the States of Maryland and Texas, the Republic of Mexico and elsewhere. It is further alleged that Jones was the primary supplier of cocaine and cocaine base to members of the organization in the District of Columbia and in the State of Maryland.

As part of their investigation into the alleged conspiracy, law enforcement agents utilized a number of investigative techniques, including surveillance, informants, installation of an electronic tracking device on Jones’ vehicle, search warrants issued to electronic communication service providers for text messages to or from cellular telephones used by Jones and an alleged co-conspirator, and a Title III wire intercept. The covert portion of the investigation ended on October 24, 2005, with searches pursuant to warrants and arrests. At that time, drugs, drug paraphernalia, firearms, and significant quantities of cash were seized from the homes of a number of the defendants, as well as from an alleged “stash house” in Fort Washington, Maryland where 97 kilograms of cocaine, 3 kilograms of crack cocaine, and in excess of $800,000 was found. (Government’s Omnibus Response to Defendant’s Legal Motions [“Gov’t’s Omnibus Opp’n”] at 5.) The evidence the government intends to introduce at trial includes, inter alia, items seized on October 24, 2005, a number of conversations intercepted pursuant to Title III wiretap orders, and the testimony of individuals who were allegedly part of Jones’ drug organization. 2 (See id.)

I. Motion to Suppress Evidence Obtained From Interception of Wire Communications and Seizure of Electronic Communications

Jones first moves to suppress evidence obtained from the interception of wire communications (telephone conversations) to or from his cellular telephone and the seizure of electronic communications (text messages) to or from both his cellular telephone and the cellular telephone of an alleged co-conspirator Lawrence Maynard. (See Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Evidence Obtained From Interception of Wire Communications and Seizure of Electronic Communications [“Def.’s Mot. to Suppress Evid.”].) The text messages were held in storage by two electronic communication service providers at the time of their acquisition by the government. In support of his motion, Jones argues that (1) the affidavits submitted by FBI Special Agent Stephanie Yanta in support of the text message search warrants and the wire intercept violated both the probable cause and necessity requirements of Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (the “Wiretap Act”), 18 U.S.C. § 2510 et seq.; (2) Special Agent Yanta intentionally misled the authorizing court and demonstrated a reckless disregard for the truth in setting forth the factual allegations in her supporting affidavits; and (3) the government impermissi-bly failed to minimize the intercepted wire communications. In connection with his claim that the affidavits contained deliberate, material misstatements, Jones also seeks a hearing under Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 98 S.Ct. 2674, 57 L.Ed.2d 667 (1978). 3 For the reasons ex *75 plained herein, all of Jones’ arguments are without merit.

A. The Text Message Affidavits

On August 10, 2005, and again on August 18, 2005, Magistrate Judge Alan Kay issued search warrants to two electronic communication service providers for stored text messages that had been transmitted over cellular telephones used by Jones and Maynard. In support of the search warrants, the government submitted affidavits sworn to by Special Agent Yanta (the “August 10th Affidavit” and the “August 18th Affidavit”). In response to the search warrants, the companies provided a significant number of text messages to the government, which, in turn, referenced several of the messages in the affidavit in support of the first wiretap. (See Gov’t’s Omnibus Opp’n at 7.)

1. Governing Law

Jones’ argument that the affidavits submitted in support of the text message search warrants violated certain requirements of the Wiretap Act fails as a matter of law because the Wiretap Act does not apply to the government’s acquisition of text messages held in storage at electronic communication service providers. First, as amended by Title I of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, Pub.L. No. 99-508, Title I, 100 Stat. 1848 (Oct. 21, 1986), the Wiretap Act applies only to the “interception” of wire, oral or electronic communications. An “intercept” is defined in the Wiretap Act as “the aural or other acquisition of the contents of any wire, electronic, or oral communication though the use of any electronic, mechanical or other device.” Id. § 2510(4) (emphasis added).

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Bluebook (online)
451 F. Supp. 2d 71, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56473, 2006 WL 2355964, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-jones-dcd-2006.