United States v. Yorgensen

148 F. Supp. 3d 815, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163500, 2015 WL 8180335
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Iowa
DecidedDecember 7, 2015
DocketNo. CR15-4043-MWB
StatusPublished

This text of 148 F. Supp. 3d 815 (United States v. Yorgensen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Yorgensen, 148 F. Supp. 3d 815, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163500, 2015 WL 8180335 (N.D. Iowa 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER REGARDING MAGISTRATE’S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ON DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR FRANKS HEARING AND MOTION TO SUPPRESS

MARK W. BENNETT, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, NORTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND... 817

A. Procedural Background.. .817

B. Factual Background.. .819

II. LEGAL ANALYSIS.. .822

A. Standards Of Review.. .822
B. The Prosecution’s Objection.. .825

1. Miranda warnings... 826

2. Temporal proximity., .826

3. Presence of intervening circumstances .. .827

4. Purpose and flagrancy of official misconduct... 828

C. Yorgensen’s Objection.. .829

III. CONCLUSION.. .831

I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

A Procedural Background

This case is before me on United States Magistrate Judge Leonard T. Strand’s Report And Recommendation on defendant Dennis Neil Yorgenseris Motion for Franks Hearing and Motion to Suppress (docket no. 48). In his Report And Recommendation, Judge Strand recommends granting Yorgenseris motion and suppressing all evidence seized during the execution of a search warrant as well as statements Yorgensen made to a law enforcement officer. Both parties have filed timely objections to Judge Strand’s Report and Recommendation. I, therefore, undertake the necessary review of Judge Strand’s Report and Recommendation.

On July 23, 2015, an indictment was returned charging Yorgensen with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture which contained 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine (Count 1), in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846, and possessing with the intent to distribute a methamphetamine mixture which contained 5 grams or more of pure meth[818]*818amphetamine (Count 2), in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).

Yorgensen subsequently filed a Motion for Franks Healing and Motion to Suppress (docket no. 23) in which seeks to suppress all evidence, obtained as a result of the search of his apartment and a post-arrest interview. Yorgensen contends that a search warrant issued for his home was invalid because Sac County Deputy Sheriff Jonathan Meyer’s affidavit in support of the warrant included a false statement and omissions that were made either knowingly and intentionally, or with reckless disregard for the truth. Yorgensen also argues that his post-arrest statements must be suppressed on grounds that they were the fruit of the poisonous tree. Yorgensen also argues, in the alternative, that his interview was conducted in violation of his right to counsel and all questioning should have ceased because he requested an attorney.

The prosecution filed a timely resistance to Yorgenseris motion. Yorgenseris motion was referred to United States Magistrate Judge Leonard ,T. Strand, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b). Judge Strand conducted . an evidentiary hearing and then filed a Report and Recommendation in which he recommends that Yorgenseris motion be granted and I suppress all evidence obtained as a result of the search of Yorgenseris apartment and a post-arrest interview. In his Report and Recommendation, Judge Strand initially concluded that Yorgensen made the substantial preliminary showing necessary to require an evidentiary hearing. Next, Judge Strand determined that Yorgensen met his burden of establishing a Franks violation by a preponderance of 'the evidence. Judge Strand based this conclusion'on his finding that Meyer’s “affidavit included a combination of incorrect statements and material omissions, made recklessly, so as to render it misleading.” Report and Recommendation at 14. Specifically, Judge Strand found that -Meyer’s statement that he “ ‘could smell a- strong odor of marijuana come from inside the residence and off [Yorgen-sen]’ ” was not supported by the evidence and was “at least, misleading.” Report and Recommendation at 14. - Judge- Strand based this conclusion, in part, on the fact that Sac County Deputy Sheriff Kristan Erskine did not smell anything “despite being directly adjacent to Meyer.” Report and Recommendation at 15. Judge Strand further noted that Meyer’s affidavit contained two “important omissions” that caused it to be “terribly misleading.” Report and Recommendation at 15. First, Meyer omitted the fact that Erskirie did not detect the smell of marijuana while she was at the scene with Meyer'. Second, Meyer’s affidavit did not disclose that Meyer was at least 20 feet away from the door to Yorgenseris apartment when he allegedly smelled a “strong odor” of marijuana, coming from the apartment. Judge Strand further concluded that Meyer “acted with reckless disregard for the truth” which caused his affidavit to be “materially misleading.” Report and Recommendation at 17-18. As a result, Judge Strand recommended thai; “the search warrant be, declared invalid and that all evidence seized during the execution of the warrant be suppressed.” Report and Recommendation at 18. Finally, Judge Strand found that the taint of the illegal search and arrest had not dissipated by the time Yorgensen was interviewed by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement Agent Robert Jones and, therefore, Yorgenseris statements to Jones were required to be suppressed as the fruits of an unlawful search and seizure.

Alternatively, Judge Strand addressed Yorgenseris claim that his post-arrest statements must be suppressed because they occurred after he invoked his right to counsel. Judge Strand rejected this claim [819]*819because Yorgensen failed to make a clear and unequivocal request for counsel. .

Both the prosecution and Yorgensen have filed objections to Judge Strand’s Report and Recommendation. Both parties, in turn, filed timely responses to the other’s objections. The prosecution also filed a Motion for Reconsideration of Report and Recommendation (docket no. 54). Judge Strand denied the prosecution’s motion to reconsider. The prosecution has also filed objections to that order. I, therefore, undertake the necessary review of Judge Strand’s recommended disposition of Yorgensen’s Motion for Franks Hearing and Motion to Suppress.

B. Factual Background

. In his Report and Recommendation, Judge Strand made the following factual findings:.

A. The Cast
Defendant Dennis Yorgensen resides with his wife in Odebolt, Iowa.

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Bluebook (online)
148 F. Supp. 3d 815, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163500, 2015 WL 8180335, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-yorgensen-iand-2015.