United States Fourth Circuit

Convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and hydromorphone and possession of counterfeit currency, are affirmed over a claim of improper denial of a suppression motion where: 1) the district court did not err in determining that a cell phone was seized lawfully during a search incident to arrest; 2) a warrantless search of the contents of the cell phone was not unlawful; and 3) there was no error in a finding that certain U.S. currency and counterfeit money found in a vehicle were properly seized as a result of a lawful inventory search of the vehicle.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/15/2009
• Published 01/15/2009

Judges

• Before KING, Circuit Judge, HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge, and MARTIN K. REIDINGER, United States District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina, sitting by designation.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Richard Croutharmel, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellant.  Jennifer R. Bockhorst, Office of the United States Attorney, Abingdon, Virginia, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  John L. Brownlee, United States Attorney, Roanoke, Virginia, for Appellee.