My question involves search and seizure law in the State of: California and Arizona. Arizona subsequently issued a separate search warrant based primarily on the information in this affidavit.

Following is the Statement for Probable Cause to support a search warrant filed in California. I am interested in opinions on it's validity. I have naturally changed the personal information but have left the pertinent information intact and verbatim. I will let it speak for its self. I am interested to hear opinions on whether the statements made by this informant should have been sufficient to establish probable cause for a search warrant.

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CA Statement of Probable Cause for Search Warrant by DEP. ONE

On 3-16-08 at about 1600 hrs., DEP. TWO told me he was contacted by Mr. INFORMANT who told him about a counterfeit operation involving GARY and LARRY SUSPECT . DEP. TWO told me the suspects were using chemicals to wash five dollar bills and print them into one hundred dollar bills. The suspects use a motor home California license, XX88XX8X, to travel to Phoenix, Palm Springs and Huntington Beach to name a few. While enroute the suspects purchase property with counterfeit money, drive to other cities and return the newly purchased property for full cash refund.

On 3-27-08, I returned a phone call to Mr. INFORMANT who told me he had evidence to the counterfeiting he spoke to DEP. TWO about.

I met with Mr. INFORMANT who gave me a receipt dated 3-18-08. The transaction reference the receipt occurred in the City of Upland. The purchase was made by a one hundred bill.

Mr. INFORMANT also GAVE ME FIVE CONTERFEIT ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS. They all had the five dollar magnetic strip and Abraham Lincoln’s hologram. One of the bills back side was printed upside down.

Mr. INFORMANT told me his wife is involved but not willingly. He said the suspects have BECKY hooked on methamphetamine and she will not come home.

On 3-22-08, while inside the suspects motor home BECKY gave her husband, Mr. INFORMANT, the above receipt.

On 3-24-08, Mr. INFORMANT’S thirteen year old daughter found one counterfeit one hundred dollar bill inside the red Ford Focus California license, XX9X8X9.

She frequents the suspect’s home to see her mother, BECKY, who is now living with the suspect GARY.

At an unknown date in November 2007, GARY SUSPECT gave Mr. INFORMANT two counterfeit one hundred dollar bills.

He does not remember where the fifth counterfeit bill came from.

Mr. INFORMANT told me Gary lost his wallet sometime in mid February 2008. Mr. INFORMANT said he later found it on Gary’s dirt driveway. Due to the way the suspects are treating his wife, Mr. INFORMANT decided not to give GARY’s wallet to him.

The wallet contained one thousand dollars in counterfeit bills although no identification.

Mr. INFORMANT hid the wallet under the pickup bed tool box in the light green truck, Arizona license 99999 that is parked in the driveway of GARY SUSPECT’s home.

On Thanksgiving in 2007, Mr. INFORMANT saw GARY and LARRY SUSPECT smoking methamphetamine in GARY’s home. He has witnessed this on more than one occasion. Mr. INFORMANT has also seen glass methamphetamine pipes in a top dresser drawer in GARY’s home.

Mr. INFORMANT said there is a surveillance camera attached to the front porch which faces the driveway of GARY’s home.

LARRY SUSPECT is a civilian employee with HICK County Sheriff’s Dept. in Somewhere, AZ. He is a technical information specialist. Mr. INFORMANT has seen him siphon gas out of HICK COUNTY. vehicles on GARY’s property and put the gas into the motor home and their personal vehicles. This has occurred numerous times.

Mr. INFORMANT told me LARRY has computers belonging to HICK COUNTY which LARRY uses to print counterfeit bills, inside the motor home on GARY’s property.


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