United States v. Rivera-Morales

166 F. Supp. 3d 154, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176068
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedOctober 26, 2015
DocketCRIMINAL NO. 15-070 (FAB)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 166 F. Supp. 3d 154 (United States v. Rivera-Morales) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Rivera-Morales, 166 F. Supp. 3d 154, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176068 (prd 2015).

Opinion

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

CAMILLE L. VELEZ-RIVE, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

On January 21, 2015, defendant Jean Carlos Rivera-Morales (“Rivera-Morales”) was charged by a Grand Jury in a One Count Indictment for production of child pornography, to wit, producing a video with a cellular phone of a six (6) year old prepubescent female minor (Defendant’s biological daughter) engaged in sexually explicit conduct, that is, the minor masturbating Defendant Rivera-Morales, in viola[157]*157tion of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(b). (Docket No. 10).

On March 17, 2015, Defendant Rivera-Morales filed a “Motion to Suppress” claiming he had a significant and legitimate expectation of privacy in his cellular phone and, therefore, a search warrant supported by probable cause needed to be obtained.1 However, he claims to have a “good faith believe” that the state and federal agents searched the contents of Defendant’s cellular phone without obtaining a search warrant, which they could have easily obtained, and prior to obtaining his consent. Defendant also claims the consent Defendant provided to search his cellular phone was after the search. Moreover, Defendant posits his wife Besk-is Sánchez-Martínez (“Ms. Sánchez-Martinez”) did not have authority to consent to the search of his cellular phone, inasmuch as it belonged exclusively to him. Thus, Defendant avers his rights under the Fourth Amendment were violated, and the suppression of the video and any other evidence, such as verbal and written statements that are fruits of the poisonous tree, is warranted. (Docket No. 19).

On April 10, 2015, the Government filed its Response to Defendant’s request to suppress arguing that Defendant’s Fourth Amendment rights were not violated because the Government did not search his cellular phone prior to Defendant giving his consent. The Government also implies that Defendant’s wife had authority to show the contents of Defendant’s cellular phone because she had access to some of his applications in his cellular phone. Thus, since there was no search of the cellular phone within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment, suppression is not warranted. (Docket No. 23).

On April 14, 2015, Defendant Rivera-Morales filed a Reply to the Government’s Response challenging each of the Government’s arguments. (Docket No. 24).

Both parties agreed a suppression hearing was necessary inasmuch as there were factual issues in controversy. The suppression hearings were held on May 28, 2015 and June 8, 2015. The Government presented the testimonies of PRPO Aileen Pérez-Ramos (“Officer Pérez-Ramos”), Ms. Sánchez-Martínez and HSI SA Pablo Llabre (“Agent Llabre”). (Docket Nos. 29 and 30). Several exhibits from both parties were introduced into evidence. (Docket No. 31). The defense did not present any testimonial evidence at the suppression hearings.

At the conclusion of the suppression hearing, defense counsel requested the transcripts of the suppression hearings in order to file a post-hearing motion. The oral request was granted. Once the transcripts were filed, Defendant was granted thirty (30) days to file his brief and the Government was granted thirty (30) days, thereafter, to file its reply brief. (Docket No. 30).

On July 29, 2015, the transcripts for the suppression hearings were filed. (Docket Nos. 36 and 37).

On August 28, 2015, Defendant filed his “Post-Hearing Supplemental Memorandum to Defendant’s Motion to Suppress.” Defendant summarized the testimonies heard during the suppression hearings and argued there were some inconsistencies which diminished the credibility of the witnesses. In addition, Defendant explained his wife was acting as a Government agent when she allegedly voluntarily showed the video to the agents. Defendant also posits [158]*158his wife did not have authority to consent to the search of his cellular phone because it belonged exclusively to him. Defendant asserts that, even accepting that the initial search by Defendant’s wife was conducted by a private party, the additional interventions of the agents without a warrant exceeded the scope of a private search. Thus, what may have started as a private search turned into one in which Defendant’s wife helped the Government to prosecute him, and infringed his rights under the Fourth Amendment. (Docket No. 38).

After requesting an extension of time, the Government filed is “Response to Defendant’s Supplemental Memorandum” arguing that Defendant failed to make a showing that Ms. Sánchez-Martínez was acting as an agent of the Government at the time she found the video in Defendant’s cellular phone. Thus, the Government asserts Ms. Sánchez-Martínez acted as a private person and not as an agent of the Government. (Docket No. 41).

After careful consideration, it is recommended that Defendant Rivera-Morales’ Motion to Suppress be DENIED.

SUMMARIES OF THE TESTIMONIES AT THE SUPPRESSION HEARINGS2

A. PRPO Aileen Pérez-Ramos.

Officer Pérez-Ramos testified on direct examination that she works for the Sexual Crimes Division of the Criminal Investigations Corp in Humacao. (Transcript of Suppression Hearing, May 28, 2015, Docket No. 36, at p. 4.). She has worked as a PRPD officer for 24 years and in the sex crimes division for 7 years. (Id.). The duties of Officer Pérez-Ramos include investigating sexual crimes, mistreatment of minors and institutional mistreatment. (Id.).

On January 6, 2015, Officer Pérez-Ramos was on duty. However, she was at her home on sick leave. (Id. at pp. 4-5). That day, she received a phone call at around 8:00 or 8:15 am from one Sergeant Pérez, that there was a case that would be referred to the Las Piedras police station. (Id. at p. 5). Officer Pérez-Ramos went to the Las Piedras police station to interview the complainant, Ms. Sánchez-Martínez. (Id.).

During the interview, Officer Pérez-Ra-mos testified that Ms. Sánchez-Martínez was very upset and that she began to explain how on the night before, January 5, 2015, she accessed her husband’s cellular phone and found a video and a photograph of her daughter’s hands touching the penis of her husband, Defendant Rivera-Morales. (Id. at p. 6). According to Officer Pérez-Ramos, Ms. Sánchez-Martínez said that she would show the agent the video because she was “really angry.” (Id. at pp. 6-7). Ms. Sánchez-Martínez pulled out her husband’s phone from her purse3, opened it and turned it on, and immediately showed the video to Officer Pérez-Ramos. (Id. at p. 7). After seeing the video, Officer Pérez-Ramos instructed Ms. Sánchez-Martínez to turn off the video, which she described as depicting a male penis with small hands making up and down movements. (Id. at p. 8). Officer Pérez-Ramos testified she was not shown anything else from the phone, that she seized it, and that she would be consulting the case with ICE. (Id.). Officer Pérez-Ramos made out a receipt for the [159]*159phone, placed it in a manila envelope and took it with her to her house because she was sick. (Id. at p. 9). Officer Pérez-Ramos summoned Ms. Sánehez-Martínez to the Humacao police station the next day.

The following day, January 7, 2015, Ms.

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Bluebook (online)
166 F. Supp. 3d 154, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176068, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-rivera-morales-prd-2015.