United States v. Theophilis Bell

FAGG, Circuit Judge.

Theophilis Bell appeals the district court’s denial of his motion to suppress cocaine base seized after his arrest on a traffic charge. We affirm.

Bell was spotted riding a bicycle at night without a headlamp by two Des Moines police officers assigned to a drug and gang investigation unit. Bell was in a high-crime area where police had adopted a policy of not tolerating any statutory violations to combat drug activity. The officers knew Iowa law prohibits riding a bicycle without a headlamp between sunset and sunrise. Iowa Code §§ 321.397, .384 (1995). The officers also…