United States v. Vanhoesen

552 F. Supp. 2d 335, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38546, 2008 WL 2039480
District Court, N.D. New York·Decided May 12, 2008·No. 3:06-cv-00411·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM-DECISION AND ORDER 1

LAWRENCE E. KAHN, District Judge.

Defendant Jermaine VanHoesen (“Defendant”) is accused of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and, together with his co-defendant Raymond VanHoesen, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine, in violation of 21 *337 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). Indictment (Dkt. No. 12). On March 11, 2008, an evidentiary hearing was held to determine whether there was probable cause for Defendant’s warrantless arrest on February 20, 2003 and, accordingly, whether evidence seized that day, including drugs and cash, must be suppressed.

I. Background

Defendant was arrested on February 20, 2003 in Albany, NY. Defendant maintains that on that date he drove to the Charter School in Albany to pick up someone named Reno Conley and give him a ride, as a favor to his cousin. After Defendant arrived at the location on Second Street and while he was waiting for Conley, a black SUV with tinted windows approached. The SUV contained police officers who had set up a “rip” operation, using an informant to arrange a drug deal. Defendant backed his car up through an alley to escape, supposedly fearing that the car contained assailants attempting to shoot him, as had happened before. In doing so, Defendant backed into a different police car which was blocking the alley and which had its emergency lights on. Defendant fled the area and was allegedly observed throwing something from the window. Defendant pulled over a short while later on Clinton Avenue and was taken into custody. Police officers collected items from the vehicle' and the person of Defendant, including cocaine, a cell phone, pager, cash, and paperwork. Police also later found a quantity of cocaine on North Swan street, where Defendant allegedly tossed the item.

II. Analysis

A. The Initial Stop of Defendant’s Vehicle on Second Street and the Subsequent Arrest on Clinton Avenue

1. Standard of Law for Probable Cause

“A warrantless arrest of an individual in a public place for a felony, or a misdemeanor committed in the officer’s presence, is consistent with the Fourth Amendment if the arrest is supported by probable cause.” Maryland v. Pringle, 540 U.S. 366, 370, 124 S.Ct. 795, 157 L.Ed.2d 769 (2003), quoted by U.S. v. Baldwin, 496 F.3d 215, 220 (2d Cir.2007). “Probable cause is ‘a fluid concept ... not readily, or even usefully, reduced to a neat set of legal rules.’ ” Walczyk v. Rio, 496 F.3d 139, 156 (2d Cir.2007) (quoting Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 232, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983)). Probable cause “requires only such facts as make wrongdoing or the discovery of evidence thereof probable.” Id. at 157. If “there is no dispute as to what facts were relied on to demonstrate probable cause, the existence of probable cause is a question of law for the court.” Id. (internal citations omitted).

“Probable cause is not a particularly demanding standard.” United States v. Solomonyan, 452 F.Supp.2d 334, 343 (S.D.N.Y.2006). Probable cause merely “requires an officer to have knowledge or reasonably trustworthy information sufficient to warrant a person of reasonable caution in the belief that an offense has been committed by the person to be arrested.” Panetta v. Crowley, 460 F.3d 388, 395 (2d Cir.2006) (internal citations omitted). Probable cause is determined by looking at what facts the officer had available at the time of, and immediately prior to, arrest. Caldarola v. Calabrese, 298 F.3d 156, 162 (2d Cir.2002).

2. The Officers’ Information

Defendant alleges that the information leading to the police presence by his car was an unsubstantiated statement from an unreliable informant. However, the testimony at the evidentiary hearing showed *338 that there was significant justification for the police presence by Defendant’s car, for the subsequent approach and chase of Defendant, and for the ultimate arrest.

The testimony of Sergeant Roberts established that Defendant’s arrest stemmed from a “rip-off’ operation planned with a confidential informant. Roberts Test. (Dkt. No. 68). The informant, who had been taken into custody on an outstanding warrant, offered to call some drug suppliers he had conducted business with in the past, in exchange for Sergeant Roberts notifying the District Attorney’s office that the informant provided information. Id. at 9. After unsuccessfully attempting to call one alleged supplier, the informant and Sergeant Roberts agreed to target an individual named Sham, who was allegedly the informant’s typical drug supplier. Id. at 10-11. Sergeant Roberts was already familiar with Sham. Id. at 11. Because Sham (allegedly an alias for codefendant Raymond VanHoesen) was not doing business at the time due to pending court action, the operation focused instead on an individual named “Homie” who, according to the informant, had taken over Sham’s business. Id. at 11. The informant stated that he had dealt with Homie on a few occasions, described Homie’s physical appearance and stated that Homie typically drove a white Chevrolet Blazer-type vehicle of 1990’s vintage with a black tire mount on the back hatch. Id. at 12-13. The informant also described the typical “meet” location and transaction procedure for buying drugs from Homie. Id. at 13.

Along with the informant, Sergeant Roberts called the number provided by the informant for Homie’s pager and entered the informant’s cell phone number, along with a code: “eight zero zero.” Id. at 15. According to the Government, Defendant then called the informant’s cell phone, confirmed the informant’s identity, and agreed to meet at the Second Street meet location. Id. at 15-16. Defendant then called again to confirm that the informant wanted “the eight” that had been put in the pager before. Id. at 16. Subsequently, the informant called the cell phone Defendant had been using and stated “I’m 75 short,” which the informant told Sergeant Roberts was a code confirming that the deal would happen. Id. at 18. Defendant then responded “okay.” Id.

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United States v. Vanhoesen, 552 F. Supp. 2d 335, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38546, 2008 WL 2039480 (N.D.N.Y. 2008).

552 F. Supp. 2d 335 (United States v. Vanhoesen) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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