United States v. Cedric Aldaz

Aldaz appeals an order denying his motion to suppress. The district court denied his motion after finding that the initial seizure of his packages was supported by a reasonable articulable suspicion, and that the delay of his packages was not so unreasonably long as to violate the Fourth Amendment. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

On Saturday, October 8, 1988, Aldaz mailed an express delivery package from Emmonak, Alaska. The temporary postmaster, Quinlivan, was suspicious of Aldaz and the package. He had been informed by state trooper Piles that Aldaz was suspected of trafficking in illegal drugs.

Quinlivan called Postal Inspector Hertle in Anchorage to inform him of the package. Quinlivan told Hertle that Aldaz was suspected of drug dealing and that he always had money to buy money orders, though he was unemployed. Hertle, who had previously received information from the full-time postmistress in Emmonak that he should watch Aldaz’s mail, directed Quinli-van to send him the package by registered mail. Because of the mail schedule, the package did not leave Emmonak until October ll.

On October 11, Aldaz and his girlfriend mailed three additional packages. The manner in which these were…