United States v. Rose Leverette

This is an appeal from the judgment of conviction for importation with intent to distribute 110 grams of heroin and 26 grams of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S. C. §§ 841(a)(1), 952(a), and 960(a)(1). The only issue in the case is whether the facts known to the government agents were sufficient to show a “real suspicion” justifying a strip search. We affirm.

At approximately 9:30 a. m. on December 31, 1973, the defendant, Rose Leverette, a young black female, arrived at the Nogales, Arizona, pedestrian gate from Mexico. Upon inspection of her purse, Customs inspectors found two airline tickets for a flight from Chicago to Tucson in the name of “Mr. and Mrs. Williams.” The defendant stated that they were her tickets, that she lived in Chicago, that she had been in Nogales for two to three days, and that her husband was in Chicago.

Soon after the defendant’s arrival, Charles Williams, a young black male, arrived at the port of entry. He was identified as Charles Williams through an Illinois driver’s license and this fact, along with the inspector’s conversation with the defendant, was communicated to Customs inspector Ralph Guerra, who was then questioning the…