United States v. Kramer, No. 22-1358 (3d Cir. 2023)
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Kramer’s then-wife, Terry, found a document on her husband’s computer that led her to believe that Kramer had engaged in sexual conduct with a minor. Later, Terry found photographs on Kramer’s cellphone depicting the victim engaged in sexual acts. Terry met with police, described the sexually explicit photographs, and showed them the document; she emailed the photographs to the police. The victim reported that Kramer had sexually abused her for years and had used his cellphone to take pictures of her engaged in sexual conduct. Kramer admitted to having a sexual relationship with the victim and to taking the photographs. With a warrant, law enforcement searched Kramer’s cellphone and eventually found videos and photographs depicting sexual acts involving the victim.
Kramer was charged with sexual exploitation of children, 18 U.S.C. 2251(a). While in custody, he sent Terry a letter: “You crossed [the] line and it IS going to cost you,” repeatedly stating that he would have Terry arrested for her purported crimes. Kramer was then charged with attempted witness tampering, 18 U.S.C. 1512(b)(1). The Third Circuit affirmed Kramer’s convictions and 350-month sentence, upholding the denial of Kramer’s motion to suppress evidence. Terry conducted a private search of his cellphone and voluntarily provided the evidence to the government; the evidence was admissible without implicating the Fourth Amendment. The court properly denied Kramer’s motion to dismiss the attempted witness tampering charge.
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