United States v. Ralph Scopo, Jr.

PIERCE, Circuit Judge:

On February 11, 1992, defendant-appellee Ralph Scopo, Jr., was indicated for the possession of a firearm with the manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated or altered and which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(k) (1988 & Supp. IV 1992), based upon his possession of a fully loaded .38-caliber pistol in the backseat of his car discovered in a January 17, 1992 search of the car incident to a traffic stop. On July 2, 1992, a suppression hearing was held in the United States District Court for the Eastern…