Woman loses appeal in drug case over evidence found in car’s bumper

By Steve Kanigher

Thursday, July 14, 2011 | 3:29 p.m.

A woman who pleaded guilty to a drug charge in federal court in Las Vegas lost an appeal to suppress drug evidence found in her car's bumper.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today upheld U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt's denial of Elveria Rodriguez-Quiros' motion to suppress the evidence.

Rodriguez-Quiros was sentenced in 2009 to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She filed an appeal after alleging that the district court improperly rejected findings from a magistrate judge related to probable cause.

The 9th Circuit affirmed Hunt's decision by stating that after obtaining the defendant's consent to search her vehicle, troopers were within their rights to inspect a hole in the bumper.

"Upon discovering white powder and observing what looked like tape, the troopers had probable cause to believe that the normally empty bumper contained drugs," the 9th Circuit wrote.