United States v. Richard E. Woodring

Woodring appeals from his conviction for violating 18 U.S.C. § 472 (possessing counterfeit money with intent to defraud) . We affirm.

Woodring challenges on several grounds, the legality of the search of his rented house, made pursuant to a warrant, and the subsequent seizure of certain counterfeit bills that were admitted into evidence against him at trial.

First, Woodring argues that the affidavit in support of a search warrant was insufficient because it recited only observations of “outwardly innocent” acts and information from informants of untested reliability. We disagree. The information provided by informant Matthews, who identified Woodring as a manufacturer of counterfeit money, was sufficient to support the issuance of a search warrant. Matthews was, by his own admission, a participant in the crime of passing counterfeit notes. His story was corroborated by information obtained from eye witnesses. Under these circumstances, reliance on the information provided by him was justified. See United States v. Mahler, 442 F.2d 1172 (9th Cir. May 27, 1971); United States v. Mendoza, 441 F.2d 1107 (9th Cir. 1971); Musgrove v. Eyman, 435 F.2d 1235 (9th Cir. 1971); United States…