United States v. Billy Ray Rowland

BYE, Circuit Judge.

Billy Ray Rowland pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). He did so after his motion to suppress was denied by the district court, 1 but in his plea agreement he reserved the right to appeal that denial. On appeal, he argues the firearm was discovered during an unlawful inventory search of his vehicle. We agree but still affirm the district court’s denial because the search falls within another exception to the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement.

I

On December 19, 2001, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Story County…