Jesus Leonardo Esquivel-Carrizales v. United States

While out shopping five days before Christmas, Petitioner had a brief interaction in the public parking lot of a shopping center with a man agents suspected was involved in drug trafficking. After Petitioner left the parking lot, a police officer stopped Petitioner for a purported traffic violation but never conducted a records check or issued a ticket. The Fifth Circuit held the stop was lawful because police had reasonable suspicion of a drug crime—suspicion based entirely on Petitioner’s single interaction with another suspect. The question presented is, for purposes of an investigative stop under the Fourth Amendment, is it reasonable for an officer to suspect an individual of criminal activity based solely on the actions of a companion? (i)