United States v. Bell

ROVNER, Circuit Judge.

Francis Bell, the ransom collector in a deadly kidnapping, sought to suppress evidence of drugs found in his hotel room safe during the course of the kidnapping investigation. The district court denied the motion to suppress finding that the search fell under the exigent circumstances exception to the Fourth Amendment prohibition on warrantless searches. We affirm.

I

On February 21, 2004, kidnappers lured businessman Jesus Colon from his place of business and soon thereafter called his wife, Norma Morales, demanding $100,000 in ransom in exchange for his safe return.…