Sandoval

— On January 23, 2007, an information was filed in the Shasta County Superior Court charging defendant, Paul Michael Sandoval, with a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11377, subdivision (a) (possession of methamphetamine). Defendant was arraigned and pled not guilty.

On April 9, 2007, defendant filed a motion to suppress evidence pursuant to Penal Code section 1538.5. On April 25, 2007, the court denied the motion.

On May 7, 2007, defendant withdrew his not guilty plea and pled guilty to the violation of Health and Safety Code section 11377, subdivision (a). The court granted defendant probation.

On May 8, 2007, defendant filed a notice of appeal. On appeal, he challenges the denial of his motion to suppress. For reasons that follow, we shall reverse the judgment.

FACTS

On December 7, 2006, Officer Shawn McGinnis was employed by the Redding Police Department and assigned to the Shasta Interagency Narcotics Task Force.

He had been a sworn peace officer for 20 years.

During his 20 years as a peace officer, Officer McGinnis had been involved with more than 500 narcotics cases.

Officer McGinnis had “been a party” to more than 75 search warrants at…