United States v. Hernandez Flores, No. 15-1515 (7th Cir. 2015)
Annotate this CaseFlores was pulled over on an Illinois highway for driving with an obstructed license plate—his rear plate was affixed to his car by a standard frame that covered the plate’s periphery. After Flores consented to a search of his vehicle, police officers discovered over five kilograms of heroin, and Flores confessed to transporting it. He later moved to suppress, arguing that the officer did not have probable cause for the stop. The Seventh Circuit reversed denial of the motion, noting that the officer acknowledged that as he “got closer it appeared to read Baja California which is from Mexico.” The officer could not have reasonably believed that the “commonplace” license frame violated state law.
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