United States of America, Cross-Appellant v. Luis Fernando de La Rosa, Cross-Appellee, 922 F.2d 675, 11th Cir. (1991)
United States of America, Cross-Appellant v. Luis Fernando de La Rosa, Cross-Appellee, 922 F.2d 675, 11th Cir. (1991)
United States of America, Cross-Appellant v. Luis Fernando de La Rosa, Cross-Appellee, 922 F.2d 675, 11th Cir. (1991)
2d 675
MOTION TO SUPPRESS
2
The following facts, which we find to be supported by the record, are taken
primarily from the order of the district court on the motion to suppress:
On July 6, 1988, at about 9:15 p.m., Metro Dade police officer Nick
Anagnostis observed a Latin male, Raphael Bustamante, using a public
telephone located at the Town and Country Mall in Miami, Florida. After
Bustamante finished using the telephone, he entered the passenger side of
appellant's rental vehicle. At this time, Anagnostis and two other police officers
in unmarked cars began to follow appellant's vehicle. Appellant subsequently
dropped Bustamante off at the Promenade Apartments in Miami, Florida.
Appellant proceeded to his apartment across the street and used a special pass
in order to open a security gate into the parking lot. Before the gate closed, one
of the police officers, Detective Tom Gross, entered the complex. After
appellant parked and began walking toward his apartment, Detective Gross
positioned his unmarked police car directly behind appellant's vehicle,
approached appellant, identified himself as a police officer, and asked appellant
if he could speak with him. Appellant agreed. Detective Gross was dressed in
plain clothes and carried a holstered firearm. At Gross's request, appellant
produced identification, a Georgia driver's license. Before returning appellant's
license, Detective Gross asked for and received permission to search appellant's
vehicle. At this time, detective Anagnostis arrived at the scene and parked a
couple of parking spaces away from appellant's car. Detective Gross then
handed Detective Anagnostis appellant's license and proceeded to search the
vehicle.1
During the search, Detective Gross discovered a notebook in the back seat of
the car and, after reading its contents, concluded that the inscriptions in the
notebook related to narcotics transactions. The officers then asked appellant if
he would show them where Bustamante lived and stressed that he did not have
to consent to this request. Appellant replied that he understood, but that he
would take them to Bustamante's home anyway. Detective Anagnostis and
another police officer, Detective Haines, placed appellant in one of the
unmarked cars and proceeded to Bustamante's apartment. No contraband was
found at Bustamante's apartment and appellant was then taken back to his
apartment where the officers asked if they could search his residence.
Appellant was informed that he did not have to consent to this search and, as he
had done throughout the encounter, he consented.
placed under arrest for violation of Florida state law prohibiting conspiracy to
traffic in narcotics and was advised of his Miranda rights. Appellant then stated
that he was in the cocaine business but did not deal directly with the drugs and
that he only handled money. Appellant stated that the detectives had missed
some currency at Bustamante's apartment and that there was another apartment
that he knew of which should have both cocaine and cash. The officers returned
to Bustamante's apartment, and upon entering, observed Bustamante burning
paper. After searching both Bustamante's apartment and the other apartment
identified by appellant, the officers found one kilogram of cocaine and more
cash.
6
Appellant sought to suppress the notebook found in his automobile, the records,
currency and other related items found in his apartment, and all statements,
admissions and confessions which he made on the night of his arrest.
It is axiomatic that not every encounter between law enforcement officers and a
citizen in a public place constitutes a seizure within the meaning of the Fourth
Amendment. Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 19 n. 16, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 1879 n. 16, 20
L.Ed.2d 889 (1968). The police can be said to have seized an individual if, in
view of all the surrounding circumstances, a reasonable person would believe
that he was not free to leave. Michigan v. Chesternut, 486 U.S. 567, 573, 108
S.Ct. 1975, 1979, 100 L.Ed.2d 565 (1988) (citing United States v. Mendenhall,
446 U.S. 544, 554, 100 S.Ct. 1870, 1877, 64 L.Ed.2d 497 (1980)). This is
necessarily an imprecise test. Id. Some specific factors may be considered in
making this inquiry, including: whether a citizen's path is blocked or impeded;
whether identification is retained; the suspect's age, education and intelligence;
the length of the suspect's detention and questioning; the number of police
officers present; the display of weapons; any physical touching of the suspect,
and the language and tone of voice of the police. See United States v. Puglisi,
723 F.2d 779, 783 (11th Cir.1984).
Applying these factors to the instant case, the district court determined that the
initial encounter between appellant and the officers was a non-coercive
encounter to which the Fourth Amendment did not apply. It made this finding,
despite its somewhat questionable factual conclusion that the detectives
retained appellant's driver's license at the time they asked permission to search
his car. The district court found that appellant "had returned home for the
evening, and was not anticipating using the automobile in the immediate
future," and determined that under these facts a reasonable person would
believe he was free to walk into his home and avoid further conversation with
the police. We agree with the district court that even though the defendant's
driver's license may have been temporarily retained, a reasonable person, under
the totality of the circumstances, would have believed he was free to leave. 2
9
We decline to accept appellant's argument that the existence of the security gate
at the entrance to the parking lot of his apartment complex transforms that
parking lot from a public into a private area. Likewise, we decline appellant's
invitation to remand this case to the district court for consideration of whether
the initial encounter and search was lawful under state standards. The
admissibility of evidence in a federal prosecution is governed by federal law,
rather than state law. United States v. Mastrangelo, 733 F.2d 793, 799 (11th
Cir.1984). "In determining whether there has been an unreasonable search and
seizure by state officers a federal court must make an independent inquiry ...
The test is one of federal law, neither enlarged by what one state court may
have countenanced, nor diminished by what another may have colorably
suppressed." Elkins v. United States, 364 U.S. 206, 224, 80 S.Ct. 1437, 1444, 4
L.Ed.2d 1669 (1960).3
10
Appellant also argues that even if he was not seized for Fourth Amendment
purposes at the time he consented to the search of his automobile, his consent
did not extend to the contents of the notebook found in the back seat. A
consensual search is confined to the terms of its authorization. United States v.
Blake, 888 F.2d 795, 798 (11th Cir.1989). At bar, we find that appellant
voluntarily consented to a search of the interior of his automobile and placed no
special restrictions on that search. Thus, it was reasonable for Detective Gross
to open the notebook which he found lying on the seat. Compare United States
v. Milian-Rodriguez, 759 F.2d 1558, 1563 (11th Cir.) (upholding search of
locked closet after defendant gave voluntary consent to search his house), cert.
denied, 474 U.S. 845, 106 S.Ct. 135, 88 L.Ed.2d 112 (1985).
11
Finally, we reject appellant's contention that his consent to search his apartment
and all of the statements by him made after he accompanied the officers to
Bustamante's apartment, were somehow involuntary because he had been
removed from the site of the initial encounter. The only case cited by appellant
in support of this argument, United States v. Waksal, 709 F.2d 653, 659 (11th
Cir.1983) is factually inapposite. Waksal and the cases cited therein deal with
individuals who accompany police officers away from the public area of an
initial encounter to a private area for further questioning. Here, appellant was
not taken off for further interrogation, rather, he voluntarily complied with the
officers' request that he show them where Bustamante lived. Compare Id. For
these reasons, we find that the motion to suppress was properly denied by the
district court.
SENTENCING GUIDELINES
12
By cross appeal, the government argues that the district court misapplied the
Sentencing Guidelines in three respects. First, the government contends that the
district court misapplied the "relevant conduct" provision of Guideline Sec.
1B1.3(a) by failing to consider the amount of money involved in the total
scheme rather than just the funds attributable directly to appellant. The district
court enhanced appellant's base offense level by three levels based on a finding
that the amount of money involved in the money laundering scheme was
between $350,001 and $600,000. The government contends that the amount of
money involved and attributable to appellant exceeded $600,000 and required a
four level increase.
13
The government bore the burden of proof on this issue by the preponderance of
the evidence. United States v. Alston, 895 F.2d 1362, 1371 (11th Cir.1990).
We review the district court's determination of the amount of currency involved
under a clearly erroneous standard. United States v. Wilson, 884 F.2d 1355,
1357 (11th Cir.1989).
14
Our review of the sentencing transcript convinces us that the district court
understood that it was required to consider the total amount of funds that it
believed was involved in the course of criminal conduct. In its calculation of
the amount of money involved the district court included the funds seized at De
La Rosa's apartment on the night in question and the monies he admitted
delivering that day. Based on our review of the record and the evidence
presented at the sentencing hearing, we cannot say that this determination was
clearly erroneous.
15
The government next argues that the district court misapplied the Guidelines
pertaining to appellant's role in the offense and states that the district court
should have increased the offense level by three levels based on appellant's role
as a high level manager in a criminal enterprise involving five or more
participants. The district court increased the offense level by only two levels
which would apply to a defendant who is an organizer, leader, manager, or
supervisor in criminal activity which involved less than five participants.
Guideline Sec. 3B1.1(c). The government contends this finding lacks
foundation in fact and is therefore clearly erroneous. We disagree. The
language of Guideline Sec. 3B1.1 requires that the sentencing court focus on
the defendant's role in the offense of conviction rather than other criminal
conduct in which he may have engaged. See United States v. Williams, 891
F.2d 921, 925 (D.C.Cir.1989); United States v. Tetzlaff, 896 F.2d 1071, 1075
(7th Cir.1990); United States v. Pettit, 903 F.2d 1336, 1341 (10th Cir.1990).
Appellant's offense of conviction was money laundering as charged in count
three of the indictment. In that count, he was alleged to have acted with two
Finally, the government takes issue with the district court's determination that
appellant was entitled to a two level reduction for acceptance of responsibility
pursuant to Guideline Sec. 3E1.1(a). "The district court is in a unique position
to evaluate whether a defendant has accepted responsibility for his acts, and this
determination is entitled to great deference on review. Unless the court's
determination is without foundation, it should not be overturned on appeal."
United States v. Campbell, 888 F.2d 76, 78 (11th Cir.1989), cert. denied sub
nom., Blige v. United States, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1484, 108 L.Ed.2d 620
(1990); accord United States v. Pritchett, 908 F.2d 816 (11th Cir.1990). The
district court found that appellant was entitled to a two level reduction for
acceptance of responsibility stating that, "this particular defendant really made
the case for the government in the early stages." The record clearly reflects that
appellant was extremely cooperative in the initial stages of this investigation
and made it possible for the government to make the arrests in these cases. The
government's theory that appellant should not benefit from this acceptance of
responsibility because he cooperated only in the hope that he would avoid
arrest does not persuade us to override the considered judgment of the district
court on this issue.
17
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment and sentence of the district court are
AFFIRMED.
CLARK, Circuit Judge, dissenting:
18
"[A] person has been 'seized' within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment
only if, in view of all of the circumstances surrounding the incident, a
reasonable person would have believed that he was not free to leave."1 In
upholding the search of De La Rosa's car and residence, the majority ascribes to
our fellow citizens a fortitude in the face of police-initiated encounters of
almost Homeric proportions. The majority would have us believe that De La
Rosa--blocked in by police vehicles that followed him through a locked
security gate and confronted in his own parking lot by armed agents who
demanded and retained his most valuable piece of personal identification-would feel free to walk blissfully away from these officers and continue on his
own business. The law in this area unequivocally demonstrates that De La Rosa
was "seized" without sufficient justification and that all fruits of this initial
20
21
In finding that the defendant in Thompson had been "seized" within the
meaning of the fourth amendment, we specifically noted that:
23
23
24
Asking
for and examining [the defendant's] ticket and his driver's license were no
doubt permissible in themselves, but when the officers identified themselves as
narcotics agents, told [the defendant] that he was suspected of transporting narcotics,
and asked him to accompany them to the police room, while retaining his ticket and
driver's license and without indicating in any way that he was free to depart, [the
defendant] was seized for purposes of the Fourth Amendment.12
25
Indeed, other circuits, which have considered the exact issue posed in
Thompson, have reached similar results.13
26
In this case, the testimony of the officers at the suppression hearing indicated
that they asked for identification from De La Rosa and, while retaining his
driver's license, asked for consent to search the inside of his automobile.14
Although this incident alone is sufficient to escalate this encounter to a
"seizure" under Thompson, I find that this conclusion becomes irresistible when
the totality of the circumstances faced by De La Rosa on that night are also
considered.15 The officers gained access to De La Rosa's apartment complex by
following him through a controlled access security gate which was obviously
designed to exclude the general public from the premises. In addition, when the
encounter ensued, De La Rosa's car was effectively blocked on two sides by
unmarked police vehicles without an avenue of exit. Finally, he was confronted
by two police officers, both wearing holstered firearms in plain view and acting
in an official capacity, who did not initially inform him that he could refuse to
consent to a search of his car. Under such circumstances, I find the majority's
conclusion that a reasonable person would not consider himself the focus of an
investigation and therefore free to leave to be without basis.16
27
Despite this court's view that the holding in Thompson was a "common-sense
conclusion,"17 the majority completely sidesteps its relevance to this case. In a
footnote, it attempts to distinguish Thompson on the grounds that:
28
unlike
the defendant in Thompson, appellant had already exited his vehicle and was
proceeding toward his home for the evening. Thus, temporary retention of the
license did not preclude appellant from terminating the encounter by going into his
apartment.
29
Without even examining its legal basis, this distinction is flawed from the
outset because there is no factual support in the record for the majority's
Putting these factual deficiencies aside, the majority's analysis misperceives the
nature of the inquiry in determining whether a "seizure" has taken place within
the meaning of the fourth amendment. The question to be resolved is not, as the
majority poses it, whether a person is physically "preclud[ed] ... from
terminating the encounter," but whether a reasonable person "would have
believed that he was not free to leave."19 Put more simply, the issue is one not
of physical capacity, but of belief, objectively viewed. Indeed, in Thompson, we
anticipated the very type of argument that the majority now deploys to
distinguish that case and expressly rejected it. In analyzing the facts of Royer,
we noted that:
31 a purely physical sense, the retention of a person's airline ticket does not prevent
[i]n
him from leaving the company of law enforcement agents. He may, if he has
sufficient funds, attempt to purchase another ticket and depart to his chosen
destination. Or he may simply try to walk away, abandoning his plans to travel by
air. But the cases ... hold that despite physical possibility of departure, a reasonable
person whose airline ticket has been retained would not believe that the officers
would permit him to depart.... [T]he person whose driver's license has been retained
can, in a physical sense, attempt to leave the scene. He can abandon his vehicle and
walk away, or attempt to drive away.... [T]he legal issue is whether a reasonable
person would believe that law enforcement officers would permit him to leave.20
32
In light of this clear language, it is obvious that the majority's analysis of this
question is flawed.
33
Finally, even if we accept the majority's view that De La Rosa intended to retire
for the evening, its opinion is still inconsistent not only with the underlying
rationale of Thompson, but also with the practical realities of such police
encounters. In our society, the most valuable piece of personal identification
possessed by most citizens is their driver's license. Because of the safeguards
that most states employ in issuing such documents, it is considered by
merchants, employers, government officials, and other relevant persons as
Under the majority's view, De La Rosa and other similarly situated persons
who intend to avoid a police encounter, should reasonably be expected to
abandon their driver's license in the possession of a police officer, walk away,
and perhaps apply for a new license another day. I find such a result completely
at odds not only with ordinary experience, but, more importantly, the clear
precedents of this court and the accepted constitutional analysis of this
question. Because the majority clearly erred by abandoning principles of stare
decisis in not applying a binding precedent of this court, I dissent.
See Rule 34-2(b), Rules of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Based on our review of the record we are unwilling to state that the district
court's finding that the driver's license was held during the search of the vehicle
was clearly erroneous; however, we do note that Detective Gross unequivocally
testified that he returned the driver's license before asking for permission to
search the vehicle
United States v. Thompson, 712 F.2d 1356, 1361 (11th Cir.1983) does not
require a different result, because, unlike the defendant in Thompson, appellant
had already exited his vehicle and was proceeding toward his home for the
evening. Thus, temporary retention of the license did not preclude appellant
from terminating the encounter by going into his apartment
United States v. Mendenhall, 446 U.S. 544, 545, 100 S.Ct. 1870, 1872-73, 64
L.Ed.2d 497 (1980) (opinion of Stewart, J.)
See United States v. Espinosa-Guerra, 805 F.2d 1502, 1506 (11th Cir.1986);
United States v. Berry, 670 F.2d 583, 591, 598-603 (5th Cir. Unit B 1982) (en
banc)
One police officer testified that he believed that De La Rosa had employed
evasive driving tactics as a counter-surveillance measure. This same officer
testified, however, that De La Rosa's activity at the shopping mall was not
consistent with any form of drug activity. Yet, the fact that a suspect is evasive
is alone insufficient to establish reasonable, articulable suspicion when there is
no reasonable basis for suspecting why the suspect may be consciously evading
a police officer. See United States v. Jones, 619 F.2d 494, 498 (5th Cir.1980).
Indeed, since the officers testified that De La Rosa did not know that he was
being tailed by the police, and that they were following in unmarked police
vehicles, his particular driving technique may well have been consistent with
innocent activity
Id. at 1358
Id
Id
Id
Id. at 1359 (emphasis added); accord United States v. Elsoffer, 671 F.2d 1294,
1297 (11th Cir.1982)
10
11
12
Royer, 460 U.S. at 501, 103 S.Ct. at 1326 (plurality opinion) (emphasis added);
see also id. at 511, 103 S.Ct. at 1331 (Brennan, J., concurring in the result)
13
See United States v. Battista, 876 F.2d 201, 205 (D.C.Cir.1989); United States
v. Cordell, 723 F.2d 1283, 1285 (7th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1029,
104 S.Ct. 1291, 79 L.Ed.2d 693 (1984)
For example, the District of Columbia Circuit has noted that:
[i]t is well-established that the mere request for identification does not
inevitably give rise to a seizure. But once the identification is handed over to
police and they have had a reasonable opportunity to review it, if the
Although upholding the district court's factual determination of this point, the
majority notes parenthetically that this conclusion was "somewhat
questionable". However, the following colloquy at the suppression hearing with
Officer Anagnostis, who was the officer responsible for writing the official
police report of this incident indicates:
Q: You came up to the car, Detective Gross tells you we could search the car.
Is that your testimony?
A: That's correct, yes.
Q: After that, he also shows you a license?
A: Correct.
....
Q: After he tells you--he being Detective Gross--we could search the car, he
also points out to you the license in his possession that shows Atlanta, Georgia,
or it says Georgia?
A: Yes.
....
Q: Did you see how or where Detective Gross obtained items from the car
[during the search]?
A: I couldn't see.
Q: Did you talk to my client during this time at all?
A: I may have asked him if he lived there again. That was about it, or his
driver's license. I may have asked him if he had a Florida license, or something
like that.
Q: Did you have possession of the Atlanta license at this time?
A: Detective Gross handed it to me.
Q: So you had possession of the Atlanta license while Detective Gross was
searching?
A: Yes.
15
See United States v. Puglisi, 723 F.2d 779, 783 (11th Cir.1984)
In Puglisi, we pointed to some specific factors that indicate whether a policecitizen contact is consensual or a seizure. These include: the suspect's age,
education, and intelligence; the length of the suspect's detention and
questioning; the number of police officers present; the display of weapons; any
physical touching of the suspect; the language and tone of voice of the police;
whether the citizen's path was blocked or his progress impeded; and whether a
plane ticket or identification was retained. Id.
16
See United States v. Kerr, 817 F.2d 1384, 1386-87 (9th Cir.1987); United
States v. Pavelski, 789 F.2d 485, 488-89 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 917,
107 S.Ct. 322, 93 L.Ed.2d 295 (1986)
17
18
In Thompson there was no indication that the defendant required his driver's
license because he intended to drive way immediately. In fact, the defendant
was found in a parked car that had already been parked in a short-term airport
lot for two weeks. See id. at 1358
19
20
21
Because De La Rosa was "seized" within the meaning of the fourth amendment
and the seizure was unconstitutional, I would hold that all statements and
evidence flowing from that initial illegality must be suppressed. Royer, 460
U.S. at 507, 103 S.Ct. at 1329; Thompson, 712 F.2d at 1361-62