Ornelas v. United States
Factual background
Factual background
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In December 1992, Detective Pautz of the Milwaukee Sheriff's Department was conducting drug interdiction when he noticed a 1981 two door Oldsmobile with California plates.. Pautz radioed his dispatcher to check the registration of the car, and he ran the name of the owner, Miguel Ledesma Ornelas, through the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information System ([NADDIS](/wiki/NADDIS "NADDIS")). NADDIS reported that Ornelas was a heroin dealer. Two more officers arrived on the scene. An officer asked Ornelas if he had any contraband in the car, and Ornelas responded negatively. Detective Hurrle requested permission to search the car, and Ornelas consented. Deputy Luedke searched the car and noticed a loose door panel with a rusty screw. Deputy Luedke removed the panel and found two kilograms of cocaine. Ornelas and his accomplice, Ismael Ornelas\-Ledesma, were arrested.*Ornelas*, 517 U.S. at 692\-693\.

Ornelas filed a motion to suppress in the District Court. The court found that the officers had probable cause to remove the door panel and denied the motion. Ornelas was convicted and appealed to the [Seventh Circuit](/wiki/Seventh_Circuit "Seventh Circuit"). The Seventh Circuit reviewed the District Court's determination of probable cause on a deferential clear error standard and affirmed the conviction. The Supreme Court granted certiorari..


What was Detective Pautz conducting in December 1992?