State v. Castaneda-Pena

INMAN, Judge.

Edgar Castaneda-Pena ("Defendant") appeals from a judgment entered after he pleaded guilty to drug-related offenses. On appeal, Defendant argues that police officers' search of his vehicle violated his Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and that the trial court therefore erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence gathered as a result of that search. We affirm the trial court's ruling because the circumstances of the search satisfy the automobile exception to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement.

Factual and Procedural History

The…