United States v. King

991 F. Supp. 77, 1998 WL 11881
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 7, 1998
DocketNo. 96 CR 839(NG)
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 991 F. Supp. 77 (United States v. King) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.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. King, 991 F. Supp. 77, 1998 WL 11881 (E.D.N.Y. 1998).

Opinion

ORDER

GERSHON, District Judge.

On November 7, 1997, the Honorable Cheryl L. Pollack, Magistrate Judge, issued a comprehensive report, which is appended, on motions to suppress and for other relief made by defendants King, Jackson, and Coley. Review under 28 USC. § 636(b)(1)(B) is de novo. See United States v. Rosa, 11 F.3d 315, 328 (2d Cir.1993). No objections have been filed.

I have reviewed Judge Pollack’s detailed and carefully considered report and now adopt her recommendations. All defendants’ motions to suppress the wiretap evidence and defendant Jackson’s motion to suppress physical evidence are denied. In accordance with discussions at a pretrial conference held before me on December 19, 1997, the Government is ordered to produce any impeachment material as to witness Pierce two weeks before trial. At the same conference the Government was ordered to identify the grounds upon which it seeks to offer Rule 404(b) material. Under the current schedule, the Government must file its papers by January 9, 1998 and the defense has until January 23,1998 to respond.

On consent of the parties and on the recommendation of Judge Pollack, defendant Coley’s motion-to suppress post-arrest statements is stayed pending a psychiatric evaluation.

SO ORDERED.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

POLLAK, United States Magistrate Judge.

On September 16,1996, defendants Claudius King, a/k/a “Root” (“King”), Kerrin Coley (“Coley”), Alfred Jackson, a/k/a “Vin” (“Jackson”), Zacky Rice, a/k/a “Buddha” (“Rice”), and Tony Jakes1 were indicted on charges related to a conspiracy to distribute cocaine [80]*80base between November 1994 and January 24,1996. Defendants King, Coley, and Jackson moved by Notices of Motions dated December 21, 1996, December 13, 1996, and January 17, 1996 respectively, for an order pursuant to Fed.R.Crim.P. 12(b)(3) and 18 U.S.C. § 2515, suppressing certain wiretap evidence obtained by- the government and other relief. The motions were referred to the undersigned by the Honorable Nina Ger-shon, United States District Judge, to conduct a hearing and issue a report and recommendation.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

According to the May 8, 1997 affidavit of FBI Special Agent Thomas McNally, submitted in opposition to defendants’ motions to suppress (“the May Affidavit”), the investigation into the activities of King, Coley, and the others originated as a result of an earlier investigation, which began in the spring of 1994, into a narcotics and money laundering operation run by James Piggot, a/k/á “Blue” (“Piggott”). and Randy Hampton, a/k/a “Un-die” (“Hampton”) (hereafter, the “Piggot investigation”). During the course of the Pig-gott investigation, which included a wiretap authorized by the Honorable Louis Stanton, United States District Judge, Southern District of New York (the “Piggott Wire”), the government learned that Hampton, who ran a drug distribution operation in Brooklyn and Queens, regularly purchased cocaine from Piggott, who operated out of New York City and the Bronx. The government also intercepted several conversations on the Piggott Wire which indicated that individuals, identified as “Sha” and “Ro” or “RoRo,” were being supplied with drugs by Hampton which were obtained from Piggot. At that time, “Sha” was believed to be Stanley Dowtin (“Dowtin”), and “Ro” or “RoRo” was believed to be King.2 In addition to these intercepted conversations, a confidential informant, posing as a crack buyer, provided information regarding his dealings with King on November 21, 1994, and December 13, 1994, including purchases of crack cocaine from King.

Thereafter, on January 11,1995, the,confidential information introduced an undercover detective, posing as a potential buyer of crack cocaine, to King. Later, in January 1995, King provided a telephone number— (718) 345-4456 (the “Coley Telephone”)3— which the undercover agent used on several occasions to contact King. On January 31, 1995, the undercover agent met with King and purchased two ounces of crack cocaine from King for $1,480.00. At that time, King stated that “he had to pay his supplier more.” (McNally Aff., dated June 1, 1995 (the “June Aff.”), ¶ 15). Following this purchase, the undercover agent spoke again to King over the Coley Telephone regarding the possible purchase of handguns. (Id. ¶ 16).

On June 1, 1995, the government obtained authorization from Judge Stanton to intercept and record the wire and oral communications of King, Jakes, Dowtin, Valerie Brooks, and others over the- Coley Telephone, which was subscribed to in the name of Maureen Price,' located at 230 Lott Avenue, Apartment 4F, Brooklyn, New York. This address was later identified as Coley’s address and the Coley Telephone was identified as Coley’s telephone number. The June 1,1995 affidavit of Agent McNally, which was submitted to Judge Stanton in support of the wiretap authorization (the “June Affidavit”), set forth in detail information regarding Kang’s dealings with the undercover agent and the confidential informant, as well as a description of other meetings and conversations between King and the agent or the informant over the Coley Telephone. The June Affidavit also contained a description of the conversations intercepted over the Pig-gott Wire and information obtained from a pen register on the Coley Telephone during the period February 22, 1995 to May 25, 1995. Specifically, the pen register showed [81]*81forty-seven calls to King’s pager number, and 102 calls to the telephone number at the address listed by King as his residence on his driver’s license. In addition, the affidavit set forth an analysis of the remaining 2,169 calls registered during that time, which included calls to several individuals arrested or wanted for robbery or narcotics trafficking.

On June 30, 1995, the government sought and obtained an extension of the authorization to intercept calls over the Coley Telephone, including the conversations of Coley, Coley’s mother, Catherine Coley, Jackson, and Ward, who had been identified during the wiretap investigation.

Thereafter, on August 1, 1995, the government sought and obtained authorization4 to intercept calls over telephone number (718) 629-4120, which was King’s phone (the “King Telephone”). In the August 1, 1995 affidavit of Agent McNally, submitted in support of the wiretap on the King Phone (the “August Affidavit”), Agent McNally summarized much of the information set forth in his two earlier affidavits in support of the Coley phone wiretap and attached them as exhibits to the application for authorization to intercept calls over the King Telephone. The August Affidavit explains that in May 1995, the informant, who had received King’s phone number from King’s girlfriend, attempted to contact King over the King Telephone, only to be told by King not to call him there. Nevertheless, based on calls subsequently intercepted over the Coley Telephone, it was determined that King was in fact using the King Telephone for narcotics activities. The August Affidavit then set forth specific examples of calls intercepted over the Coley Telephone from King’s Telephone beginning on June 2, 1995 through July 19, 1995.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

United States v. Barrera
950 F. Supp. 2d 461 (E.D. New York, 2013)
United States v. Goffer
756 F. Supp. 2d 588 (S.D. New York, 2011)
United States v. Salemme
91 F. Supp. 2d 141 (D. Massachusetts, 1999)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
991 F. Supp. 77, 1998 WL 11881, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-king-nyed-1998.