In the Matter of John Edward Joyce

THORNBERRY, Circuit Judge:

This is an appeal from a judgment of the district court holding appellant Joyce, an employee of Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company (“Mountain Bell”), in criminal contempt of an order issued by a federal Magistrate and approved by the District Judge, directing Mountain Bell to participate with a customs agent in the installation of an electronic surveillance device known as a “pen register” (a/k/a “dialed number recorder”). The judgment entails a thirty day sentence in the custody of the Attorney General, which the district court agreed to stay pending…