United States v. Rodriguez

Procedural entryThis page is a short order in United States v. Rodriguez. Read the opinion of the Court — 112 F.3d 26
Court of Appeals for the First Circuit·Decided June 9, 1994·No. 93-1811·Published

Opinion

USCA1 Opinion


June 9, 1994 [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
___________________

No. 93-1811

UNITED STATES,

Appellee,

v.

ISIDRO RODRIGUEZ,

Defendant, Appellant.

__________________

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

[Hon. Joseph A. DiClerico, U.S. District Judge]

___________________

Before

Torruella, Cyr and Boudin,
Circuit Judges.
______________

___________________

John P. Rab and Rad & Neiman, on brief for appellant.
___________ ____________
Paul M. Gagnon, United States Attorney, and Jean B. Weld,
______________ _____________
Assistant United States Attorney, on brief for appellee.

__________________

__________________

Per Curiam. Appellant Isidro Rodriguez appeals his
___________

conviction on four counts of distributing cocaine, in

violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a), and one count of using or

carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug

trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1). We

summarily affirm.

I

In September 1989, Detective Ronald Scaccia of the

Nashua Police Department, working in an undercover capacity,

made three hand-to-hand purchases of cocaine from an

individual known to him as "Isidro" at 4 1/2 Kendrick Street

in Nashua, New Hampshire. After further investigation, the

Nashua police obtained a search warrant for the third floor

apartment in which Isidro lived. The search discovered over

one half kilogram of cocaine and paraphernalia associated

with the sale of cocaine hidden in a trap door within the

apartment. A .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun, a fully

loaded magazine of .25 caliber ammunition, and an additional

box of ammunition were found in a strong box, approximately

six feet from the trap door. A receipt for the purchase of

the gun, listing Rodriguez as the purchaser and showing an

address of 4 1/2 Kendrick Street, was also found in the box.

Various identification documents in the name of Isidro

Rodriguez, including rent receipts for a room at 4 1/2

-2-

Kendrick Street in the name of Isidro Rodriguez were found in

a dresser drawer. Rodriguez was not apprehended.

In December 1989, Rodriguez, along with five other

individuals, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to

distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. 846. He was

also indicted on three counts of distributing cocaine, one

count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and

one count of possessing a handgun in furtherance of a drug

trafficking crime. An arrest warrant for Rodriguez was also

issued.

On April 14, 1992, the warrant was executed on an

individual, using the name of Ysidro Adames and residing in

Erie, Pennsylvania. Detective Scaccia positively identified

Adames as the person from whom he had purchased the drugs at

the Kendrick Street apartment. However, Adames' fingerprints

did not match those found in the search of the apartment and

he was released. Rodriguez was arrested in February 1993 in

Lawrence, Massachusetts. At the time Rodriguez was using the

name "Ysobel Gonzalez." Prior to trial, the government

dismissed all counts against the others who had been indicted

along with Rodriguez. It also dropped the conspiracy charge

against Rodriguez.

At trial, expert testimony was presented that Rodriguez'

fingerprints matched those found in the Kendrick Street

apartment. Rodriguez was also identified by Detective

-3-

Scaccia and by Sergeant Gravel, who had assisted in the

investigation, as the individual who had been involved in the

September 1989 distribution of cocaine. Finally, the mother

of Rodriguez' children testified at trial that the appellant

was the man she had known previously as "Isidro Rodriguez"

and that he had lived at 4 1/2 Kendrick Street until

approximately October 1989. She also testified that she had

given him the handgun as a gift.

The jury found Rodriguez guilty on all counts. He was

sentenced to concurrent terms of sixty three months'

imprisonment on each of the four counts of distributing

cocaine and a mandatory, consecutive term of sixty months on

the weapon's charge.

Rodriguez raises three issues on appeal. First, he

asserts that the district court erred in denying his motion

to suppress certain evidence seized during the search of the

Kendrick Street apartment. Second, he argues that his right

to obtain exculpatory evidence from the prosecution was

violated by the magistrate judge's denial of his requests for

certain materials. Finally, he contends that the evidence

was insufficient to support his conviction.

II

Rodriguez asserts that certain "identification"

evidence, including a resident alien card, a passport, and an

automobile title, found in a dresser drawer during the search

-4-

of the Kendrick Street apartment, should have been suppressed

on the ground that the items seized were beyond the scope of

the warrant. This contention, however, is belied by the

plain language of the warrant which authorizes a search for,

inter alia, "Records of Occupancy." The documents seized
_____ ____

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

United States v. Rodriguez, (1st Cir. 1994).

United States v. Rodriguez (United States v. Rodriguez) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Brady v. Maryland
373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
United States v. Agurs
427 U.S. 97 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Pennsylvania v. Ritchie
480 U.S. 39 (Supreme Court, 1987)
United States v. Paulino
13 F.3d 20 (First Circuit, 1994)
United States v. Robert J. Wilkinson
926 F.2d 22 (First Circuit, 1991)
United States v. Julio Ernesto Arias-Santana
964 F.2d 1262 (First Circuit, 1992)
United States v. Brandon
17 F.3d 409 (First Circuit, 1994)
United States v. Drougas
748 F.2d 8 (First Circuit, 1984)