United States v. Aikens

UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,  Plaintiff-Appellee, v.  No. 02-4717 ANTHONY DWAYNE AIKENS, Defendant-Appellant.  Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at Charleston. David C. Norton, District Judge. (CR-01-1011) Submitted: February 6, 2003 Decided: February 14, 2003 Before WILKINS, MICHAEL, and SHEDD, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. COUNSEL J. Robert Haley, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Charleston, South Carolina, for Appellant. Sean Kittrell, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Charleston, South Carolina, for Appellee. Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See Local Rule 36(c). 2 UNITED STATES v. AIKENS OPINION PER CURIAM: Pursuant to a valid plea agreement, Anthony Dwayne Aikens pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(e) (2001), and received a 180 month prison term. Aikens’ attorney has filed a brief in accordance with Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967). Counsel states that there are no meritorious grounds for appeal but asserts the district court erred by refusing to grant Aikens’ motion to suppress evidence of the firearm obtained in a search incident to arrest. Finding no error, we affirm. We review a district court’s factual findings underlying its denial of a motion to suppress for clear error, while reviewing its legal con- clusions de novo. United States v. Rusher, 966 F.2d 868, 873 (4th Cir. 1992). In addition, in reviewing the denial of a motion to suppress, we review the evidence in the light most favorable to the government. United States v. Seidman, 156 F.3d 542, 547 (4th Cir. 1998). Under these standards, we conclude the district court properly denied Aikens’ motion to suppress the evidence for the reasons stated in its May 21, 2002 order. Accordingly, we affirm Aikens’ conviction and sentence. As required by Anders, we have reviewed the record and conclude that there are no meritorious issues for appeal. This court requires that counsel inform his client, in writing, of his right to petition the Supreme Court of the United States for further review. If the client requests that a petition be filed, but counsel believes that such a peti- tion would be frivolous, then counsel may move in this court for leave to withdraw from representation. Counsel’s motion must state that a copy thereof was served on the client. We dispense with oral argu- ment because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the deci- sional process. AFFIRMED